Proposed DOL Rule Threatens Home Care Worker Wages, Sparks Widespread Concern

Washington D.C. – A proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is sparking significant concern among labor advocates and home care workers. The rule, titled 'The Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Workers,' seeks to reverse protections established in 2013, which granted home health aides and personal care assistants minimum wage and overtime rights. Historically, domestic workers were exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the 1970s. This changed in 2013 when the Obama administration extended FLSA protections to home care workers, ensuring they received minimum wage and overtime pay, aligning their rights with much of the American workforce. However, the current administration's proposal aims to re-exempt these workers. Critics argue that this rollback would disproportionately affect a workforce primarily composed of women, immigrants, and people of color, potentially pushing them further into poverty. A representative from Getman, Sweeney and Dunn Law stated, 'When people are already working for poverty-level wages, every single dollar counts.' The firm also noted its history of recovering millions in unpaid wages for thousands of home care workers, indicating a pre-existing vulnerability in the industry. Furthermore, the proposed changes, coupled with potential cuts to social services like Medicaid and Medicare, could shift the financial burden of care onto workers themselves. This could lead to a shortage of home care aides as individuals leave the industry due to financial instability, leaving many people in need of home care struggling to find assistance. The Department of Labor has set a public comment deadline of September 2nd for this proposed rule.

Tumblr

Your Heart is like a baby bird

Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Service Apparently, the United States wants to eliminate/gut minimum wage and overtime protec…