New Research Sounds Urgent Alarm to Overhaul Home Care Industry & End Abusive Work Conditions
As
Due to the rapidly aging population in
"Seniors and people with disabilities desperately need in-home care, yet, because of high worker turnover, many are inappropriately forced into nursing homes or family members are forced to cut back or leave the workforce to provide care," said
The report, which surveyed roughly 3,000 workers across 47 states and the
* Union workers were paid around
* Sixty-one percent of union workers had health insurance, versus 28 percent of non-union workers.
* Union respondents were substantially more likely to be able to take a sick day, with 55 percent of workers receiving paid time off, compared to 28 percent of non-union respondents.
"Before there was a union here, I was getting paid
The report revealed clear solutions to overhaul the home care industry across the country, including:
* Increased Wages: Although home care revenues have grown, wages in the workforce have declined since 2004. The survey found that roughly one-third of workers earn less than
* Full-Time Schedules: With 61 percent reported working part-time, 81 percent of respondents wanted to work more hours. Almost one-third of workers held at least two jobs, and 53 percent of respondents are currently seeking additional employment to make ends meet.
* Improved Wage Theft Enforcement: Employers may restrict home care workers' hours to keep labor costs low, but the majority of workers reported working "off the clock," many because they were concerned for the health of the consumers they supported.
* Full Benefits: Sixty percent of workers reported not receiving employer-provided health insurance. Of the 112 workers surveyed aged 65 or older, 79.5 percent did not have employer-provided retirement benefits, a sad irony in a profession dedicated to caring for seniors.
* Sick Days: Only 19 percent of surveyed workers reported receiving paid sick days. Of respondents who were injured on the job, 57 percent lacked employer-provided health insurance, and 78 percent indicated they had no sick days.
* Correct Worker Classification: Home care agencies frequently mislabel their employees "independent contractors" to deny them basic workplace protections and benefits. Answers to survey questions about tax documents indicate that 23 percent of respondents may be misclassified as independent contractors.
"The survey results support what we knew--that this is hard, undervalued work," said co-author
The union gains workers have made are threatened by the renewed efforts to cut Medicaid in
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Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, Scott Morris column
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