We had our most recent bargaining session with the State on June 10th. Our top priority for this week’s negotiations was getting a counter proposal from the State’s team on the new Electronic Visit Verification system requirement. The State is starting statewide implementation of the EVV system for DD Personal Support Workers (those who provide supports to people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) in July 2019.

The EVV implementation date for Homecare Workers  (those who provide supports to Seniors and People with Physical Disabilities) has yet to be determined by the State, but likely won’t be until January 2021.

For more background on the EVV system click here.

We were able to make significant progress on the roll-out of the EVV system including:

• The State agreed to our language that exceptions to the use of EVV will be granted for workers who:

1. 1. Do not have a smart phone or tablet with internet access
   2. Provide services in an area of the state without reception/data
   3. English is not the primary language of the workers and this creates a barrier to their utilizing EVV.

• The system will only capture the data needed to meet the requirements of the Cures Act. Most importantly geolocation will only be captured where services start and end. No other geolocation information will be captured.

These are good initial steps in making sure the EVV system is rolled out in a way that minimizes disruptions and barriers for workers. We are continuing to push the state for:

• Clarity about how any collected data will be used
• Clear process for how workers access the exceptions process
• Protecting our right to bargain over the impact of any future changes in how the Federal Government implements the Cures Act.

Everyone Deserves to be Paid On Time. Every Time.

Another remaining priority in bargaining is pushing the state to address the ongoing issues workers have with late and inaccurate pay. 35.4 % of workers report having received their paycheck late due to an error by the State or PPL. This kind of systemic problem does not happen in other jobs. It’s unacceptable.

That is why we are launching the On Time. Every Time. campaign this week. The goal of the campaign is to put pressure on the State to come to the bargaining table with real solutions that will ensure we get paid timely and accurately.

State decision makers need to understand the very real impact this payroll crisis is having on workers, our families and our Consumers. We need to tell our stories and send a message to Governor Brown and DHS Director Pakseresht that everyone deserves to be paid on time. If you have had an experience receiving inaccurate or late pay, please tell your late pay story here.

Or, if you do not have a late pay story, please sign the petition instead. We will deliver your stories and petitions directly to Governor Brown and DHS Director Pakseresht and let them know…it’s time to fix the State’s payroll system.

Our next bargaining session with the State will be on June 24th.