Archive for ‘Washington, D.C.’

Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act Introduced in the House and Senate!

Posted by on June 27th, 2011 at 5:30 pm | No Comments »

Last Friday, the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act was introduced in the U.S. House (HR 2341) and Senate (S. 1273) by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA).  The bill was submitted with 22 original co-sponsors in the House and in the Senate, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, Tom Harkin also signed on as an original co-sponsor.

Rep. Sanchez released a statement on the importance and impact of the legislation stating “It is impossible to overstate the importance of direct care workers…They provide essential care and daily living services to more than 13 million elderly and disabled Americans.  They care for our parents and grandparents, but we don’t guarantee home care workers the minimum wage.  It is my hope that…” Read full release from Rep. Sanchez


Worker Rights Champion Confirmed as Solicitor for the U.S. DOL

Posted by on February 16th, 2010 at 6:58 pm | 1 Comment »

Patricia Smith

We are excited to report that the Senate confirmed President Obama’s appointment of M. Patricia Smith as Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor.

This is great news for direct care workers because Ms. Smith has a proven track record as a champion for American workers. In her new position, she will be responsible for enforcing national labor laws. The DCA is hopeful that she will make the extension of federal wage and overtime protections to home care workers a top priority once she takes office.

Related material

The New York Times story on Patricia Smith’s appointment

Support Melanie’s March for Health Care Reform

Posted by on February 16th, 2010 at 6:47 pm | No Comments »

Melanie Shouse

A group of Pennsylvanians is marching the 135 miles from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., over the next week. They are going to call on Congress to support health care reform, and they want you to join them.

It may be a little late to join the march from start to finish, since it starts on February 17, but the leaders of Melanie’s March are also looking for people to join them at events along the way in cities like Newark, Wilmington, and Baltimore; donate to support the cause; or march the last mile with them to Capitol Hill. Continue reading »

DCA Welcomes DC-Based Director of Communications

Posted by on February 16th, 2010 at 6:12 pm | No Comments »

Aaron Pickering

The Direct Care Alliance will welcome another new staff member and boost our presence in the nation’s capitol when Aaron P. Pickering joins us as our full-time director of communications next week.

Aaron comes to us from Equal Justice Works, where he helped promote the work of law students and attorneys providing pro bono representation to low-income and vulnerable individuals and families. As their senior communications specialist, he was part of the team that developed their communications and marketing strategy. Aaron brings the right combination of skills and passion for social justice that will benefit the DCA as we fight for improving the direct care profession. Continue reading »

Smith Presents on Home Care Worker Rights at NELP Conference

Posted by on November 11th, 2009 at 5:58 pm | No Comments »
David Ward

David Ward

The National Employment Law Project’s Reclaiming our Wages conference was an energizing meeting of people from universities, non-profit organizations, unions, and government agencies. What we all had in common was a commitment to strengthening the rights of workers who are often victims of injustices such as poor working conditions and wage theft.

The November 6 and 7 conference was a great opportunity to learn more about the creative approaches that some of our allies are taking to address the needs of their constituents and to build partnerships in confronting some of the common challenges that we face. One of the conference highlights was Peggie Smith’s presentation on policy and organizing strategies to address the needs of home care workers. It was very gratifying to hear her recognize the DCA and its state affiliates for our work to improve direct care jobs!

Peggie is the author of a DCA policy brief on extending wage and overtime protections to home care workers. (PDF)

David Ward
Director of Policy and Planning
Direct Care Alliance

DCA Video Diary: Renee Tillman

Posted by on October 15th, 2009 at 9:31 am | 3 Comments »

Before heading to DC with the DCA this spring, CNA Renee Tillman, the founder and president of the Texas Association of Nurse Assistants, asked her colleagues what they wanted her to tell legislators about direct care work. Here’s what they said.

Here I Grow Again: Democracy in Action

Posted by on September 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm | 8 Comments »
The DCA's DC contingent for EWA Hill Day. That's me in the middle

The DCA's DC contingent for EWA Hill Day. That's me in the middle

If you’ve read my earlier stories for this blog, you know about the journey I’ve made from “the mouse in the corner” to “the lion that roared.” Well, last week I was reminded of why that journey mattered when a legislative staffer in Washington, D.C., asked me to provide wording for a possible amendment to a Senate bill.

I was in D.C. on September 14 and 15 to participate in the Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA) Hill Day. This time around I felt pretty comfortable, since I knew what to expect — at least, I thought I did.

At a training on Monday evening, we were briefed on EWA’s mission and the “asks” they wanted us to make the next day on Capitol Hill. The next morning, I was paired up with Mike Malone, a geriatrician from Wisconsin. We talked about the meetings we were scheduled for that day over breakfast, practicing what we wanted to say and what order it should go in. Then we jumped in a van to catch a ride to the Capitol.

Our first visit was with a Wisconsin senator’s staffer. Mike and I introduced ourselves and explained the importance of an adequately prepared elder care workforce and how the need for workers is only going to increase as the baby boomers enter the long term care system. We explained that our elders deserve a workforce that is trained and prepared to care for them.

My mind was racing as I sat there. I knew I was there to represent direct care workers. “It’s now or never,” I thought. “Open your mouth and speak!” Continue reading »

Real Wages Keep Falling for Personal and Home Care Aides

Posted by on September 9th, 2009 at 11:17 am | 1 Comment »

state chartbook coverAs every direct care worker advocate knows, personal and home care aides earn far too little for the important work they do. And now an updated version of PHI’s State Chart Book on Wages for Personal and Home Care Aides (PDF) gives advocates a valuable tool, proving that real wages are actually getting worse.

The chart book analyzes data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, adjusting last year’s wages for inflation to see how their earning power compares to average wages in 1999.

Nationwide, these inflation-adjusted rates, which the chartbook calls “real wages,” have decreased by 3 percent over the past nine years, dropping from $7.50 an hour to just $7.31. Real wages increased in more than half the states during that period, but not enough to make up for their decline in the other 21.

Median wages in 2008 ranged from $7.05 an hour in Texas to $12.55 in Alaska in 2008, or real wages of $5.61 to $9.90. “Wages for personal and home care aides are so low,” says PHI Director of Policy Research Dorie Seavey, “that about 20 percent of these workers received a raise on July 24 when the minimum wage increased to $7.25/hour.”

The chartbook also compares wages to federal poverty level wages for a one-person household.

Elise Nakhnikian
Communications Director
Direct Care Alliance

Stand Up and Be Heard: My Meeting with the U.S. Department of Labor

Posted by on August 5th, 2009 at 4:21 pm | 3 Comments »
Tracy Dudzinski

Tracy Dudzinski

Before this year I’d never been to Washington, D.C., but my work with the DCA has brought me there a lot. My latest visit was on July 24, when I met with staff from the Department of Labor (DOL) about the rule that excludes home care workers from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). I went with Leonila Vega, the DCA’s executive director, and Vera Salter, the chair of our board of directors.

It was a real learning experience for me. Once again, as often happens in my work with the DCA, I was reminded of how important it is for direct care workers to stand up and tell their stories.

In my hotel room the night before, I read and re-read the information Leonila had given me to share with the DOL staff. I wanted to be prepared, so I would represent my profession and my fellow direct care workers well.

Continue reading »

On the Road With Roy — An Update from the DCA’s National Advocacy Director

Posted by on July 22nd, 2009 at 11:09 am | No Comments »
Across the country, direct care workers are speaking up and being heard by policy makers, long term care consumers, and employers. In my work with the DCA, I’ve traveled far and wide and been fortunate enough to be part of a national movement of direct care workers who are finding their voices, standing up and speaking out.

In the past few weeks, I was invited on a TV talk show here in Maine (see video) to talk about the work I’ve been doing to make health care more affordable for direct care workers. I’ve attended and spoken at direct care worker conferences in Texas — both Houston and Killeen – and in Pennsylvania. I’ve helped organize and participated in more than 50 visits with House and Senate members in Washington DC by direct care workers and their allies. And I’ve met with new DCA partners in New Mexico.

Change is in the wind! To see what I mean, come along while I revisit the highlights of the last two or three months: Continue reading »

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