The Basics

Personal assistance services at work and reasonable accommodations provided by an employer are connected. It is very important to understand both:

• Reasonable Accommodations are technologies and other help at work that are needed for you to be able to successfully perform the essential functions of your job. In California, all employers with five or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations to employees who need and request them.
  • Examples: Voice-recognition software for an employee who cannot use a keyboard; an ASL interpreter in meetings for a deaf employee.
• Personal Assistance Services are services designed to help a person with a disability with their daily activities. Personal assistance services can be paid for by Medi-Cal, by your employer, or by you.
  • Examples: Help with microwaving food at lunch time; help putting on a jacket before leaving the office.

If you need personal assistance services at work, your personal assistance services may be considered a reasonable accommodation and be provided by your employer, depending on your situation, the essential functions of your job, and the types of services you need.

Or, they might not be considered a reasonable accommodation. In that case, if you qualify for Medi-Cal’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, it may let you use some of your authorized IHSS personal assistance service hours at work. To do this, you must get approval from a social worker.

This article explains how and when you may be able to use IHSS hours at work.