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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04191994 - 1.93 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator (SOS+a rjr js C L County DATE: April 13, 1994 SUBJECT: LEGISLATION: SB 1946 (Killea) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT a position in OPPOSITION to SB 1946 by Senator Killea, which would require that all payroll deductions and withholding for In- Home Supportive Services ( IHSS) workers shall be implemented by the individual or entity who is the employer of the IHSS worker. BACKGROUND: Existing law provides for the In-Home Supportive Services ( IHSS) Program, under which certain qualified aged, blind or disabled persons receive services designed to enable them to remain in their own home. Counties are responsible for the administration of the IHSS Program. The services to an. IHSS recipient can be provided either through employment by the IHSS recipient, or by employment through the County. SB 1946 has been introduced by Senator Killea. As introduced, SB 1946 would require that all payroll deductions and withholding for In-Home Supportive Services ( IHSS) workers shall be implemented by the individual or entity who is the employer of the IHSS worker. Contra Costa County has always resisted being put in the role of the employer of the IHSS service provider because of the increased liability exposure which is thereby incurred by the County. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: 0z x RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHERS /] SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON Agrii: t9, t994 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED —X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE x UNANIMOUS(ABSENT I ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED April 19 , 1994 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: See Page 2 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY ,DEPUTY -2- County Counsel has noted that it is unlikely that all IHSS recipients would be in a position to properly handle all of the accounting which is necessary in order to carry out the tax, social security and other payroll withholding functions . As a result, the County might be forced to undertake all of these accounting functions, thereby by definition becoming the employer of the IHSS service provider. Becoming the "employer" then makes the County liable not only for all of the necessary accounting and tax reporting for all of the IHSS service providers, but for providing workers ' compensation coverage, disability insurance coverage and becoming an attractive target for lawsuits relating to the type and manner in which services were provided to the IHSS recipient. County Counsel has concluded that the County must oppose SB 1946 because of this additional exposure and this office concurs in this recommendation. We are, therefore, recommending that the Board of Supervisors oppose SB 1946 for the reasons indicated. cc: County Administrator Social Services Director County Counsel Sara Hoffman, CAO' s Office Les Spahnn, Heim, Noack & Spahnn COUNTY COUNSEL'S OFFICE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA Date: March 21 , 1994 To: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator From: Victor J. Westman, County Counsel By: Arthur W. Walenta, Assistant County Counsel Re: Oppose Senate Bill No. 1946 Senate Bill No. 1946 (attached) could require the County to became the employer of In-Home Supportive Service ( IHSS) workers who presently are employed by IHSS recipients . This would occur because recipients have no capacity to carry out the technical requirements of tax, social security, and other payroll withholdings . If the County became the employer of IHSS workers , representation, fringe benefit and retirement costs would gravely affect the cost of the IHSS program. The County should consider opposing this bill . AWW/amc cc: Perfecto Villarreal, Social Service Director Sara Hoffman am\a:\oppose.bi1 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY��i- RECEIVED E 1994 OFFICE OF ISTf COUNTY ADMIN ';Y� SENATE BILL / No. 1946 1 Introduced by Senator Killea February 25, 1994 An act to add Section 12302.3 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1946, as introduced, Killea. IHSS: withholding. Existing law provides for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, under which, either through employment by .the recipient, or by or through contract by the county, qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons receive services enabling them to remain in their own homes. Counties are t responsible for the administration of the IHSS program. Existing law provides for various modes of IHSS services delivery, including county employees, independent contractors, and employment of workers by recipients for the provision of in-home supportive services. This bill would specify that all payroll deductions for IHSS workers shall be authorized and implemented only by the person or entity treated as the employer for purposes of the IHSS program. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. The people of the State of California do enact as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 12302.3 is added to the Welfare 2 and Institutions Code, to read: 3 12302.3. All payroll deductions for in-home 4 supportive service workers, including payroll taxes, liens, 5 union or employee association dues, or legally required or 6 voluntary deductions, may only be authorized, in the case 7 of voluntary deductions, and, in the case of required 99 100 SB 1946 — 2 - 1 deductions and withholding, shall be implemented by the 2 individual or entity who is the employer for purposes of 3 this article. O 99 100