Landmark Victory for Home Care Workers!
Home care workers across the country are celebrating a major victory: After nearly 40 years of exclusion, they are finally guaranteed basic labor protections under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Long-awaited regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) were finalized today, extending FLSA protections--including a guarantee of at least minimum wage and overtime pay--to home care workers nationwide.
"It's been more than a year since I stood on the stage with President Obama as he
announced the proposed regulations, and we were advocating for this change for a long time before that--but we've finally won!" says home care worker and Direct Care Alliance (DCA) Board Chair Tracy Dudzinski. "I've always said our work is expected but not respected. These regulations prove that our voices are starting to be heard."
THANK YOU to all of DCA's members and allies for the critical role you played in this campaign. You have made a difference, from the over 20,000 comments you sent DOL in favor of the proposed change to the editorials and other stories you published, the conversations you had with elected officials and reporters and the petitions you signed. Together, we've revised an unjust, outdated regulation that will now strengthen this crucial workforce.
Help celebrate and cement our victory!
1.
Sign our letter by October 1, to thank Secretary of Labor Perez and President Obama for what they've done for home care workers
--and for all of us who rely on a stable and well-qualified home care workforce.
2.
Share the news with your network Stay tuned The regulations will take effect on January 1, 2015. DCA is disappointed by the unusually long delay, but is working with its allies to ensure that the regulations are implemented properly. Keep an eye out for future issues of DCA's Direct Care News and Respect for Home Care Workers e-newsletters for details about what we are doing and how you can help.
