For Immediate Release: February 6, 2024
Contact: Scott.Vogel@seiuhcpa.org;
(Harrisburg) – Home care workers from across Pennsylvania gathered together online to watch Gov. Josh Shapiro deliver his annual budget address at the State Capitol to lay out his priorities for the coming year and beyond.
Overwhelmingly, caregivers expressed support for Governor Shapiro’s commitment to increasing the minimum wage to $15, along with support for his call to increase wages for caregivers. However, they also shared significant disappointment that the Governor did not mention increasing reimbursement rates for critical Personal Assistance home care services, which would be the most direct way to ensure thousands of critical health care workers earn at least $15/hour.
Home care workers have long been calling on Pennsylvania’s elected officials to make substantial investments in home care services in order to address the current workforce crisis driven by poverty level wages and lack of benefits. Home care workers say that $15 for caregivers — and a path to $20 — doesn’t have to wait and that the time is now to increase funding to get home care workers to livable wages and make sure there is accountability for this funding to go directly to the care workforce.
“I now make only $12.52 an hour as a caregiver who devotes every day of my week to caring for my mother and grandson. What’s especially hard to swallow is that I made the same $12.52 in 1980, and I couldn’t live on it then either,” said Linda Orndoff, a Participant-Directed Home Care Attendant from Coal Center in southwestern Pennsylvania. “It is heartening to hear Governor Shapiro once again call on the legislature to raise the minimum wage to $15 – as we should. Fortunately, we do not need to wait on the legislature to pass a standalone minimum wage bill that may never come in order to lift up home care workers. Increasing the funding for home care, along with requiring home care agencies to invest that funding in their workforce, would lift workers’ wages now.”
Jacinta Burgess, a Participant-Directed Home Care Attendant in Harrisburg, cares for her mom who suffers from a variety of health issues. She earns $13.38 an hour. “I’ll do whatever it takes for my mom to get the care she needs. But the truth is, these low wages are driving our current crisis of care. Strengthening our home care system isn’t rocket science. We need a path toward getting every caregiver to $20/hour. And we must ensure those dollars make it to our workforce by requiring that a minimum percentage goes directly to workers, with incentives to get even more money to caregivers.”
Workers highlighted a report on home care agencies: “Where does the money go?” about the urgent need to enact more transparency and accountability on the industry. “Our state allocates $5 billion per year towards in-home care services. …Unfortunately, due to lack of transparency and accountability for this funding, it is unclear how this money is being spent—and much of it may not be spent on care,” the report noted.
“I watched today’s budget address from Gov. Shapiro to see if our elected officials would recognize our dedication and take action to support us. We need living wages and accountability measures on the industry to make sure caregivers are paid. Home care workers need a plan from our elected officials from all levels of government to strengthen our workforce,” said Helen Burke, a Personal Attendant at Voices for Independence in Erie. “Unfortunately, I didn’t see that plan today. So we will have to organize and mobilize our communities in order to be heard.”
Home care workers also spoke out about the need to ensure that home care agencies invest any new additional funding into the workforce to raise wages for caregivers and protect care for seniors.
Lolita Owens, a Personal Attendant at Liberty Home Choices in Philadelphia said, “I work for two home care agencies, one is a non-profit agency connected to a Center for Independent Living. After the state raised the reimbursement rates in 2022, our union and employer worked together to raise wages by $2/hr. Now, all caregivers there are at $15/hr, with benefits. Being in a union meant that we have a voice and advocated how to use new state funds towards improving care. But my other employer, who was not union, claimed to know nothing about a rate increase or any COVID bonus, and my wages there did not increase.”
Those who receive home care services are also speaking out and recognize the future of supporting workers directly affects consumers.
Brandon Kingsmore, a Home Care Consumer in Allentown PA has required care for 13 years. “I have one primary caregiver, and for years I’ve been looking for another caregiver. It is next to impossible to find care because the pay is so low. Everyone deserves a living wage. But the caregiver shortage is a real crisis, and it makes me really nervous for my future and my family. Whether I can continue to live the life I want in my own home is dependent on whether Governor Shapiro and state lawmakers decide to increase wages and funding for caregivers.”
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SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is the state’s largest and fastest-growing union of nurses and healthcare workers, uniting tens of thousands of professional and technical employees, direct care workers, and service employees in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home- and community-based services, and state facilities across the Commonwealth. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania members are committed to improving the lives of health care workers and ensuring quality care and healthy communities for all Pennsylvanians.
seiuhcpa.org — www.facebook.com/seiuhcpa — twitter.com/seiuhcpa
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SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is the state’s largest and fastest-growing union of nurses and healthcare workers, uniting tens of thousands of professional and technical employees, direct care workers, and service employees in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home- and community-based services, and state facilities across the Commonwealth. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania members are committed to improving the lives of health care workers and ensuring quality care and healthy communities for all Pennsylvanians.
seiuhcpa.org — www.facebook.com/seiuhcpa — twitter.com/seiuhcpa