Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has announced a new initiative to crack down on wage theft in the home health care industry.
In particular, the complaints often involve claims for unpaid overtime, improper overtime calculations, inaccurate records, or other pay practices that prevent workers from receiving the wages they are owed. Standing Up for Home Care Workers has been launched by Pennsylvania as a strategic labor law enforcement initiative to protect home care workers’ wages and ensure that home care agencies and other third-party employers comply with Pennsylvania law.
Led by the Department of Labor, the Standing Up for Home Care Workers initiative will use proactive investigations, outreach, and partnerships to focus enforcement in an industry where workers are particularly vulnerable to wage theft violations and where complaints are substantial.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, roughly 40 percent of Minimum Wage Act complaints in the state come from home care workers. These complaints represent only a small fraction of worker exploitation in this industry, making it a priority for state wage enforcement. Home health care workers provide necessary care for an increasing number of aging adults that require round the clock care. In Pennsylvania, by 2030 a third of the state’s population will be over the age of 60. Last year, more than 400,000 Pennsylvania residents with aging relatives or people living with disabilities relied on in-home care services. Initiatives like these help ensure home care workers are paid fairly for their work.
As part of Standing Up for Home Care Workers, L&I has developed new compliance assistance specifically for the home care industry, including plain-language Know Your Rights guidance and a Fact Sheet for workers and employers.
If you believe you may be a victim of wage theft as a home health care worker, feel free to contact our attorneys at 212-583-9500.
