REMARKS
Council Member Eric Dinowitz opens hearing and vote on resolution to call on state to increase wages and improve working conditions for home care aid workers
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3 min
Council Member Eric Dinowitz leads the civil service and labor hearing, spotlighting a resolution for better wages and conditions for home care aides.
- Dinowitz stands in for Chair Carmen Delarosa, conducting a hearing on a preconceived resolution by Speaker Adams to assist home care workers.
- The resolution urges the New York State legislature and governor to increase home care aides' wages and improve working conditions.
- Public testimony from healthcare and disability rights advocates is anticipated, followed by a resolution vote.
- The resolution highlights New York's severe home care worker shortage and the consequent demand on the existing workforce.
- Dinowitz advocates for the Fair Pay for Home Care Act and the Home Care Savings and Reinvestment Act to ensure better wages and working conditions for home care aides.
Eric Dinowitz
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Good morning.
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I'm council member Eric Dinowitz.
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Charing today's civil service and labor hearing standing in for chair Carmen Delarosa.
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Thank you for joining today's hearing and vote on a preconceived resolution sponsored by Speaker Adams calling on the New York State legislature to pass and the governor to sign the legislation to increase the wages improve the working conditions of home care aids to support these workers and ensure essential growth in New York's vital home care workforce.
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Today, the committee will hear public testimony from healthcare and disability rights advocates.
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Following public testimony, the committee will hold a vote on the resolution.
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This preconceived resolution calls on the state to take holistic action to increase wages and improve working conditions for home care workers.
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New York State is facing a dire home care worker shortage.
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Between 2021 2040, New York State's population of adults aged sixty five and older is expected to grow by 25%, and the number of adults over age eighty five is expected to grow by 75%.
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Projections have found that to meet growing demand, the number of home care aids would need to reach 700,000 by 2028, up from 440,000 in 2018.
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Despite their important and demanding work, paid for home care rates is very low.
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As a result of minimum wages and Medicaid reimbursement rates that are fixed at the state level, typical wages for home care aid to serve city residents are 18.55 per hour plus an additional $2.54 per hour either in the form of wages or a supplemental benefit.
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Home care shifts can be long, sometimes totaling 24 hours known as a live in shift, only 13 of which are compensable in most cases under regulations of the State Department of Labor.
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The low pay of home care incentivizes some home care aids to seek as many shifts as possible, placing a significant burden on their personal health and well-being.
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As a result of low wages and the city's high cost of living, many full time home care aids are forced to rely on Medicaid and public assistance.
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Out of concern for the low wages and difficult working conditions of home care aids, worker advocates have called for compensation for every hour worked with commensurate reimbursement through Medicaid.
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This resolution calls in the Council to pass the Fair Pay for Home Care Act sponsored by state senator Rachel May, and state assembly member, Amy Pollan, as well as the home care savings and reinvestment act, sponsored by state senator Rivera, and state assembly member, Amy Pollan.
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Together, these bills would increase wages for home care aids and repeal the partially capitated Medicaid managed long term care program and replace it with a fee for service model to cut down on health care administration costs.
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As well as ensure continuity of care for patients and adequate reimbursement for providers.
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These critical bills will strengthen and support the home care work Force, and we are urging our state partners to take swift action to pass them now.
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Now I will turn it over to committee council who will call on today's public witnesses.
