Fair Pay for Home Care Act Reaches Democratic Majority in State Senate & Hits 71 Dem Sponsors in Assembly
The Fair Pay for Home Care Act (S5374, A6329) today reached a Democratic Majority in the State Senate with 32 Democratic sponsors, and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced her support for the Act, which reached 71 Democratic Assembly sponsors. Additionally, the Act is supported by 1199 and AARP, and has bipartisan support with four Republican State Senate sponsors and seven Republican Assembly sponsors. New York State currently faces the worst home care shortage in the nation due to poverty wages and an aging population. The Fair Pay for Home Care Act would lift home care wages and wipe out the home care shortage within five years. In her State of the State, Hochul announced her goal to end the healthcare worker shortage - however, she has not pledged any wage increases for home care workers.
"It is imperative in New York State that we look after our community's elderly and most vulnerable members. That is why I am proud to support the Fair Pay for Home Care Act," said NYS Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
"This legislation will help to address home care shortages and ensure that essential home care workers are paid fair wages. I would like to thank all the cosponsors and supporters for their leadership in fighting to help end the home care staffing crisis."
State Senate Sponsors
Democrats: (32)
1. Lead Sponsor Rachel May - D, District 53
2. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr - D, District 15
3. Jamaal T. Bailey - D, District 36
4. Alessandra Biaggi - D, District 34
5. Neil D. Breslin - D, District 44
6. Jabari Brisport - D, District 25
7. Samra G. Brouk - D, District 55
8. Cordell Cleare - D, District 30
9. Leroy Comrie- D, District 14
10. Jeremy A. Cooney - D, District 56
11. Michael Gianaris - D, District 12
12. Andrew Gounardes - D, District 22
13. Pete Harckham - D, District 40
14. Michelle Hinchey - D, District 46
15. Brad Hoylman - D, District 27
16. Robert Jackson - D, District 31
17. Brian Kavanagh - D, District 26
18. Timothy M. Kennedy - D, District 63
19. John W. Mannion - D, District 50
20. Shelley B. Mayer - D, District 37
21. Zellnor Myrie - D, District 20
22. Kevin S. Parker - D, District 21
23. Jessica Ramos - D, District 13
24. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick - D, District 38
25. Gustavo Rivera - D, District 33
26. Julia Salazar - D, District 18
27. James Sanders Jr. - D, District 10
28. Diane J. Savino - D, District 23
29. Luis R. Sepúlveda - D, District 32
30. José M. Serrano - D, District 29
31. James Skoufis - D, District 39
32. Kevin Thomas - D, District 6
Republicans: (4)
1. Fred Akshar - R, District 52
2. Peter Oberacker - R, District 51
3. Mike Martucci - R, District 42
4. Sue Serino - R, District 41
Assembly Sponsors
Democrats: (71)
1. Lead Sponsor Richard Gottfried - D, District 75
2. Thomas Abinanti - D, District 92
3. Khaleel Anderson - D, District 31
4. Rodneyse Bichotte - D, District 42
5. Harry Bronson - D, District 138
6. Chris Burdick - D, District 93
7. Kenneth Burgos - D, District 85
8. Marianne Buttenschon - D, District 119
9. Kevin Cahill - D, District 103
10. Robert Carroll - D, District 44
11. Sarah Clark - D, District 136
12. Catalina Cruz - D, District 39
13. Michael Cusick - D, District 63
14. Steven Cymbrowitz - D, District 45
15. Taylor Darling - D, District 18
16. Inez Dickens - D, District 70
17. Jeffrey Dinowitz - D, District 81
18. Steven Englebright - D, District 4
19. Harvey Epstein - D, District 74
20. Patricia Fahy - D, District 109
21. Charles Fall - D, District 61
22. Nathalia Fernandez - D, District 80
23. Mathylde Frontus - D, District 46
24. Sandra Galef - D, District 95
25. Emily Gallagher - D, District 50
26. Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas - D, District 34
27. Aileen Gunther - D, District 100
28. Andrew Hevesi - D, District 28
29. Pamela Hunter - D, District 128
30. Alicia Hyndman - D, District 29
31. Jonathan Jacobson - D, District 104
32. Kimberly Jean-Pierre - D, District 11
33. Billy Jones - D, District 115
34. Latoya Joyner - D, District 77
35. Anna Kelles - D, District 125
36. Ron Kim - D, District 40
37. Zohran Kwame Mamdani - D, District 36
38. Jennifer Lunsford - D, District 135
39. Donna Lupardo - D, District 123
40. John McDonald - D, District 108
41. Demond Meeks - D, District 137
42. Marcela Mitaynes - D, District 51
43. Yuh-Line Niou - D, District 65
44. Daniel O'Donnell - D, District 69
45. Steven Otis - D, District 91
46. Amy Paulin - D, District 88
47. Crystal Peoples-Stokes - D, District 141
48. Nick Perry - D, District 58
49. Stacey Pheffer Amato - D, District 23
50. Gary Pretlow - D, District 89
51. Dan Quart - D, District 73
52. Philip Ramos - D, District 6
53. Karines Reyes - D, District 87
54. Jonathan Rivera - D, District 149
55. Linda Rosenthal - D, District 67
56. Nader Sayegh - D, District 90
57. Rebecca Seawright - D, District 76
58. Amanda Septimo - D, District 84
59. Gina Sillitti - D, District 16
60. Jo Anne Simon - D, District 52
61. Michaelle Solages - D, District 22
62. Phara Souffrant Forrest - D, District 57
63. Phillip Steck - D, District 110
64. Steve Stern - D, District 10
65. Al Stirpe - D, District 127
66. Yudelka Tapia - D, District 86
67. Carrie Woerner - D, District 113
68. Kenneth Zebrowski - D, District 96
69. Charles Lavine - D, District 13
70. Jennifer Rajkumar - D, District 38
71. Monica P. Wallace - D, District 143
Republicans: (7)
1. Karl Brabenec - R, District 98
2. Michael Durso - R, District 9
3. Jodi Giglio - R, District 2
4. David McDonough - R, District 14
5. Melissa Miller - R, District 20
6. Doug Smith - R, District 5
7. Christopher Tague - R, District 102
Low wages are the single largest driving factor causing New York's worst-in-the-nation home care shortage. With New York's 65+ population slated to grow 25% in the next 20 years, the current workforce shortage is projected to increase exponentially: New York will have more than 600,000 home care job openings by 2026. Additionally, research has found that recovering Covid patients have fared far better in home care than nursing homes. If passed, the state would see increased revenue totaling $5.4 billion through job creation and moving home care workers off of social assistance like Medicaid and food assistance.
"Home care is about freedom, independence, and choice. It's about dignity. But when you have a system of people making minimum wage - in fact, in Upstate as of July 1st the minimum wage for home care is lower than for fast food workers - that shows we are not valuing this essential work the way we should be. It's critical to provide the freedom for people to stay out of nursing homes. The Fair Pay for Home Care bill would attract more people to the workforce and allow people the ability to stay in their homes," said State Senator Rachel May, Lead Sponsor of the Fair Pay for Home Care Act.
"There is a real shortage of home care workers because more and more people can't go into that line of work. We need to enact fair pay for home care so home care workers can be adequately paid, so people can get the care they need without either having to go into a nursing home or forcing a member of the family to give up their career," said Assemblymember Dick Gottfried, Lead Sponsor of the Fair Pay for Home Care Act.
State Senator Peter Oberacker said, "This legislation is about doing the right thing, plain and simple. New York State needs to make sure our most vulnerable populations are a priority and ensuring our home health care workers are fairly compensated is a significant step in that direction. I am a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Fair Pay for Home Care Act because it will help our direct service professionals and preserve a crucial lifeline to individuals in need."
Senator Andrew Gounardes said, "I am proud to sign on to the Fair Pay for Home Care Act. We in New York are facing the worst homecare shortage in the nation, leaving seniors and people with disabilities without necessary services. My district is a NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) and my community needs to know that they can depend on qualified, well paid and well rested home care workers. With fairer wages we can invest in our workers and our community members who rely on them."
Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson said, ""I am a proud co-sponsor of bill A6329: Fair Pay for Home Care to end the Home Care Shortage Crisis across New York. As we begin moving towards COVID-19 recovery, this bill serves as a reminder of the immense sacrifice that our essential workers, predominantly Black and Brown caretakers, took on during the pandemic. This bill provides fair and equitable pay for those in our communities that provide vital care to our most vulnerable, and we must continue to fight for their livelihoods. I hope to see this passed in the 2022 Legislative Season."
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato said, "Healthcare workers have borne the brunt of this pandemic - emotionally, physically, and financially. Home care workers are some of the lowest paid in the industry, so we must do better," Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato said. "We need a robust home care industry, and that includes attracting the best talent by offering living wages and benefits to workers who often go above and beyond for their clients and their families. I am proud to sponsor this bill, and am excited to help it pass through the Assembly with my colleagues."
Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon said, "While New York's home care workers are in incredibly high demand, these dedicated professionals have been forced out of the industry thanks to below living wages," said Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon. "The resulting shortage - the worst the nation - is putting some of our most vulnerable family members at risk. The Fair Pay for Home Care Act will help ensure that home care workers are paid the wages they deserve and that our loved ones receive the quality care they need within their own homes. It's time to put an end to this growing crisis, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this vital legislation."
Assemblymember Jodi Giglio said, "I'm very concerned about the decreasing workforce in the healthcare industry, especially in home health care. As a member of the Labor Committee in the Assembly, I've partaken in two public hearings the past few weeks. There is undeniably a shortage of workers in the healthcare industry. Wages benefits and workforce investment can all be attributed to this shortage. My colleagues and I are dedicated to finding solutions and this bill is a great start."
Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou said, "This pandemic has shown New Yorkers and millions of Americans the critical importance of home care workers. Yet those same home care workers are still denied fair and just pay," Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou said. "Home care workers are essential workers, but you wouldn't know it -- on average, they make only $21,000 annually. Our population of aging and homebound New Yorkers continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, and home care workers are the backbone of compassionate, direct care. We must ensure home care workers are receiving a wage equal to the incredible work they provide to our communities and our loved ones every single day."
Assemblymember Al Taylor said, "I am proud to be a sponsor of this legislation and I have an 80 year old father who relies on help from home health aides. It's the kind of job you do because you love the work you do, and you do it proudly. It's important we provide fair wages so people don't have to scrounge or leave a patient they love. I am proud to be a cosponsor and I will continue to fight alongside you."
"We represent over 60,000 home care workers in New York State. We are fighting here in New York State to make sure that people have a right to live independently in their homes; people with disabilities, our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents. Home care workers save lives. But They cannot be home care workers if they cannot pay their rent," said 1199 Executive Vice President Rona Shapiro. "If you want your loved ones to be taken care of, if you don't want to be sent to a nursing home, pay the workers what they deserve."
"The association on aging in New York fully supports fair pay for home care, as for far too long direct care workers have been underpaid for the vital services they provide. Home and community based services are paramount to aging in place, and older New Yorkers deserve to live with dignity and autonomy," said Executive Director of the Association on Aging in NY Becky Preve.
AARP New York State Legislative Representative Bill Ferris said, "The vast majority of New Yorkers who need long-term care want to remain in their own homes, and home care is often less expensive than a nursing home. AARP New York supports fair wages for home care workers because it would be right for the workers, right for care recipients and their family caregivers by alleviating worker shortages and ensuring care is available, and right for taxpayers by saving the long-term care system money."
About the New York Caring Majority
The New York Caring Majority is a coalition of organizations including Hand in Hand, Cooperative Homecare Associates, Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NY State, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and others who advocate for seniors, people with disabilities, family caregivers, and domestic and homecare workers in the state of New York.
RELATED ARTICLE: Letitia James, Jumaane Williams, 1199, AARP, Seniors & Disabled NYers Launch "Fair Pay for Home Care" to End Home Care Crisis
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