Better Pay for Home Health Aides?

If approved by the Office of Budget and Management, a new federal rule could mean an increase in pay for home health aides. The new rule, proposed by the Department of Labor, would mean home care workers could finally be entitled to basic protections such as a guaranteed minimum wage and time-and-a-half pay for overtime.

Currently there are close to 2 million home health aides employed in the U.S. As it stands now, an outdated exemption excludes them from the Fair Labor Standards Act, but the new rule could change that and redefine home health aides and personal care workers as more than just “companions”.

In an article today in the Huffington Post, experts looked at both sides of the argument. While the move could lead to greater job security and appeal (as well as better care), some worry that higher costs would force families to look for other alternatives when it comes to caring for loved ones.

But, says the Post, “even if the White House approves the rule change and the Labor Department enacts it, the rule won't necessarily stick. A bill introduced in the House of Representatives in September seeks to preserve the companionship exemption for good.”