Sánchez Leadership Delivers for Direct Care Workers (Dec 15 2011)
Washington, DC –Today, Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (CA-39) applauded the Department of Laborfor a proposed rule change that would provide nearly two million home careworkers minimum wage and overtime protections. Congresswoman Sánchez has been a leading advocate for protecting in-homecare workers and improving direct care services for seniors and people withdisabilities.
In June, Congresswoman Sánchez introduced the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act (H.R.2341) which would ensure minimum wage and overtime protections for home careworkers. Congresswoman Sánchezintroduced a similar bill, the Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act, in the111th Congress.
"I am pleased thatdirect care workers will finally get these long overdue protections,"said Congresswoman Sánchez. "Homecare touches all of us. Home careworkers provide essential care and daily living services to more than 13million elderly and disabled Americans. It makes no sense that they have gone so long without being guaranteedthe minimum wage or overtime. I commendthe Department of Labor for making this rule change and correcting thisinjustice."
"As the demand for home care grows, it becomes moreimportant for workers to be able to commit to their profession for the longterm. This only happens if we make sure theyget the fair wages, training, and support they deserve and need," said David Ward, Director of Policy andPlanning for Direct Care Alliance. "By offering solutions to key issues that destabilize the home careworkforce, The Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act has helpedfocus attention on this growing problem. Direct Care Alliance is grateful to Congresswoman Sánchez for hervisionary leadership on this issue."
Today, President Obamaannounced that the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will revise thecompanionship and live-in worker regulations under the Fair Labor StandardsAct. These revisions will provideminimum wage and overtime protections for workers who provide in-home careservices for the elderly and infirm.
In addition to these protections, Congresswoman Sánchez'"Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act" would improve federal andstate data collection and oversight regarding the direct care workforce. TheDirect Care Job Quality Improvement Act also establishes grant programsto help states improve direct care worker data collection, recruitment,retention, and training.
The Direct Care JobQuality Improvement Act is supported by more than seventy (70)organizations, including the Direct Care Alliance, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, SEIU, theParaprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), and the National Employment Law Project (NELP).
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