PHI has updated its Who Are Direct Care Workers? (PDF) fact sheet and issued an information package (PDF) that makes the case for investing in direct care workers on the federal level.
Who Are Direct Care Workers? analyzes the latest figures available from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to create a demographic portrait of the direct-care workforce and outline its key challenges, including low wages, lack of health care coverage, and reliance on public benefits.
Key facts include:
- There were approximately 3 million direct care workers in the U.S. in 2006. That number is expected to increase to 4 million by 2016;
- Only 57% of direct care workers are employed full-time year-round;
- Just over half (52%) of all direct care workers are members of a minority group; and
- Median annual earnings are $17,000 for all direct care workers, with personal and home care aides averaging just $14,000 a year and nursing, psychiatric and home health aides averaging $18,502.
The economic stimulus argument includes a two-page flyer outlining the reasons why investing in direct care workers will spur economic growth and six recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Labor.
PHI’s recommendations include:
- Invest in improving the quality of direct-care jobs by increasing wages and expanding benefits, with a target of ensuring that all direct-care workers providing services through public programs earn at least $12 an hour and have health insurance.
- Launch a Direct Care Worker Investment Act to direct federal workforce training money toward long-term care worker training, job placement, and retention activities, as recently proposed by the Center for American Progress.
PHI also asks the DOL to extend federal minimum wage and overtime protection to home care aides under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Direct Care Alliance is using these excellent materials to put crucial data and analysis into the hands and minds of direct care workers and their allies as they advocate for better jobs and better care. And for those who want to tell their elected officials and the Department of Labor to fix the ruling that excludes home care workers from the Fair Labor Standards Act, the DCA has set up an easy way to send them a letter.
Elise Nakhnikian
Communications Director
Direct Care Alliance
