You’re an independent IHSS provider. There’s no agency behind you, no on-call dispatcher, no coworker who can cover your shift. When something keeps you from showing up — illness, a car that won’t start, a family emergency — the person you care for may have no one.
That’s a weight most providers carry quietly. This article is about setting that weight down before a crisis hits — by building a simple backup plan now, while things are calm.
First, Know What You’re Actually Required to Do
Here’s something important: California law does not require you to find your own replacement before taking sick leave. Under the state’s paid sick leave law (SB 616), your employer — which for IHSS purposes is the recipient — cannot make finding a backup a condition of your taking time off.
That said, there’s a difference between what’s legally required and what’s practically responsible. Your recipient depends on you for daily care. Even if you’re not obligated to solve the coverage gap yourself, giving them as much notice as possible and knowing what resources exist for them is part of being a trustworthy provider.
Your obligations in plain terms:
- Notify your recipient as soon as you know you can’t come.
- If you’re using paid sick leave, submit your request through the Electronic Services Portal (ESP) or file a paper SOC 2302 form with the IHSS Sick Leave Processing Center.
- You are not required to disclose why you need sick leave on the SOC 2302.
The BUPS: Your Recipient’s Safety Net
California has a statewide program specifically for situations like this. It’s called the Back-Up Provider System, or BUPS. Many providers have never heard of it. It’s worth knowing.
BUPS provides temporary IHSS coverage when a recipient has an urgent, immediate need for personal care that cannot be delayed — where going without could jeopardize their health or safety, or risk emergency services or out-of-home placement.
Key things to know about BUPS:
- It’s available to eligible IHSS recipients statewide.
- Recipients can access up to 80 hours of BUPS coverage per fiscal year (July 1–June 30). These are drawn from already-approved IHSS hours — not additional hours.
- The statewide BUPS number is (877) 287-6789. In Los Angeles County, the Back-Up Attendant Program (BUAP) operates through PASC at the same number.
- Your recipient can also contact their county IHSS Public Authority directly for a BUPS referral.
Build Your Own Backup List
BUPS covers urgent personal care needs, but it’s not instantaneous and it isn’t designed for every situation. Having a personal backup list alongside it gives you and your recipient more options.
Who might be on that list:
- Another enrolled IHSS provider you know and trust who is willing to take a call.
- A family member or friend of the recipient who could step in for basic tasks on short notice.
- Your county’s IHSS Public Authority provider registry — recipients can call to request a referral.
Note: If your recipient wants to use another IHSS provider as a backup, that provider needs to already be enrolled in the IHSS program in the same county. They cannot simply step in without being in the system.
Know Your Paid Sick Leave
If you’re missing work because you’re sick, you may be entitled to paid sick leave — and many providers don’t use it.
Have the Conversation Before You Need It
The single most effective thing you can do right now is talk to your recipient about what happens if you can’t come in. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation. It just has to happen.
Cover these basics:
- How you’ll notify them (call, text, how much notice when possible).
- Where they can find the BUPS number and their county Public Authority contact.
- Whether there are family members or friends who know the routine and could help in a pinch.
- Which of their authorized tasks are most time-sensitive and which can wait.
Writing this down somewhere accessible to your recipient — on the fridge, in a care binder, saved in their phone — turns the conversation into a real plan.
Don’t navigate this alone — and neither should the providers you know.
IHSS Connect is California’s dedicated resource for caregivers and recipients. Free to use, built for independent providers.
Know an IHSS provider who could use better information and resources? Share IHSS Connect — built specifically for independent providers across every California county.
Create a provider listing now and activate it only when you need to. Your ad stays saved and can be edited or made live at any time — no pressure, no urgency required.
The Bottom Line
You will miss work at some point. Everyone does. The difference between a hard day and a crisis is usually preparation.
Know your sick leave rights. Know about BUPS. Talk to your recipient now. Keep a short list of who to call. None of this takes more than an hour to put in place, and it protects both of you.
