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Step-by-Step Calculator User Guide

How to use the Personalization Wizard

A complete walkthrough of the IHSS Unlocked calculator — from first-time setup to planning your pay period with confidence.

⚠️ Important: This Calculator Does Not Submit Your Timesheet

Completing your plan in the IHSS Unlocked calculator does not submit anything to IHSS. This is a planning and estimation tool only.

Once your plan is complete, save or print it — then enter your hours in the official IHSS Electronic Services Portal (ESP) at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov, or by phone through the Telephone Timesheet System (TTS) at (833) 342-5388. Your timesheet is not submitted — and you will not be paid — until it is entered and approved in the official IHSS system.

The IHSS Unlocked calculator is a planning tool — not a day-by-day entry log. Use it before your pay period begins to map out your hours, maximize your recipient's authorized hours, maintain consistency, and stay clear of violations. Pre-planning your schedule is responsible caregiving — it ensures your recipient receives the full benefit of the hours the state authorized for them.

Part 1 — The Personalization Wizard

Part 2 — Planning Your Pay Period

Quick Reference

Term	What it means
Authorized Hours	Monthly hours approved by your county social worker. Found on your NOA. Maximum is 283 hours/month.
Pay Period	IHSS divides each month into two periods: the 1st–15th and the 16th through the end of the month.
Work Week	For IHSS overtime purposes, a work week runs Sunday through Saturday.
OT Threshold	Overtime begins after 40 hours in a single Sunday–Saturday work week. Daily overtime does not apply to IHSS providers.
OT Premium	An additional ½ of your base rate applied to OT hours only — added on top of regular pay.
Claimed Hours	Hours from the prior pay period that fall in the same Sunday–Saturday week as the new period. Affects OT and weekly max for all providers.
Period Maximum	Max hours allowed in a single pay period, based on your monthly authorization split across two periods.
66-Hour Weekly Cap	For two-recipient providers, combined hours cannot exceed 66h/week unless an exemption is approved (90h/week). Separate from the 283h monthly authorization.
Tax Exempt	Live-in family providers may qualify to have IHSS wages excluded from federal and state income tax. Confirm with your county IHSS office.
NOA	Notice of Action — official letter from your county confirming authorized hours and any changes.
ESP	Electronic Services Portal — official IHSS timesheet submission system at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov.
TTS	Telephone Timesheet System — submit timesheets by phone at (833) 342-5388.