DOL's Proposed Rule on Fair Wages for Home Care Workers

Submit comments on the DOL’s Proposed Rule on Fair Wages for Home Care Workers

President Obama and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) have announced a proposed rule that would extend basic labor protections to home care workers. DOL is now collecting comments on the rule from the public. After studying the comments, DOL will decide whether to enact it as a final rule.

Now is the time for you to submit your comments to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Solis regarding the Obama administration’s proposed regulations to revise the “companionship exemption.”  All comments are due by February 27, 2012.

We believe that the revision of the companionship exemption can improve quality care by facilitating the recruitment and retention of a quality workforce, in part by expanding federal wage and hour protection. 

Within 20 years, one in five Americans will be over 65.  As our nation ages, direct care workers – who are currently responsible for providing 70 to 80 percent of the paid hands-on long-term care for older adults – will not only be critical to providing quality care;  they will also be the largest growing job sector in America. 

There is evidence that two of the primary causes of high turnover rates among home care workers are low wages and insufficient hours which combine to suppress overall income. Applying our nation’s minimum wage and overtime law to more home and personal care workers can help lower turnover rates by spreading hours more equitably across the workforce and increasing the number of full-time workers.  Greater stability will improve quality care for consumers and support for family caregivers.  

View the proposed rule by visiting here.

Submit comments on the proposed rule by visiting here.