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Long-Term Care Consumers Family Members Advocates

Better Care Through Better Wages

The problem:


Currently about 1.7 million home care workers are not eligible to receive minimum wage and overtime protections.  

Why?  Because they are considered to be “companions” and companions are not covered by regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which gives workers important wage protections.   
                     

What the proposed rule would do:

The Department of Labor (DoL) is proposing a rule that would change the definition of companionship services.  The new definition would not include home care workers like home health aides and personal care attendants/aides.  This would  give home care workers the right to minimum wage and overtime protections (as well as pay for travel time!). 

Impact of the proposed rule:   

• Increasing wages for home care workers is an important step toward improving the quality of the job.  Improving the quality of the job makes workers' lives better, increases job satisfaction, reduces stress and improves morale - which mean better care for consumers.

• Would help retain workers and reduce the turnover rate. 

• Could attract more people to the job – making more workers available to provide the hours of care that consumers need.

• Could make it easier for agencies and consumers to find workers to hire.

• Would help to attract more workers and more qualified workers.

The Consumer Voice supports this rule and will submit a sign-on letter to the Department of Labor - but we also need as many individuals as possible to comment on why they support this important proposed rule!

**Please enter your comments in the box below**

Example:

I believe home care workers should be paid minimum wage and have overtime protections, because ______.

This action is no longer active. To view the current list of our active campaigns click here

Your comments to the Department of Labor (DoL) will first be sent to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care who will forward them by the deadline to DoL, along with your name and organization if entered.  


Please note: your comments may be made public on our website and possibly on Federal government websites as well.

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