The following story was contributed by DCA Executive Director, Leonila Vega
Leonila Vega
On behalf of our members, I would like to congratulate the NPDA for its efforts to stabilize the direct care workforce by advocating for the clarification of worker classification rules. Because caring for and supporting elders and people living with disabilities is performed by low-income workers who are likely to receive low wages and may have limited or no health insurance benefits, it is absolutely critical that direct care workers income be reported accurately to the IRS.
Proper classification of direct care with accurate reporting to the IRS will protect direct care workers as well as ensure that direct care workers receive their properly earned retirement benefits from Social Security. Failure to properly report direct care wages, negatively impacts the ability of direct care workers to receive retirement benefits they may be entitled to receive.
Please read this guest article by the National Private Duty Association on this important issue.
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There is no question that the 22 direct care workers who participated in the very successful Voices Institute leadership training retreat in the spring of 2008 became a tight-knit core group of direct care worker advocates. We still discuss the impact that this experience has had on our lives and how we will never forget the incredible growth that took place. As a group, we are building a grassroots movement bit-by-bit with passion and determination.
