fighting slave wages! for home care /direct care workers

[thomasbrooks07]

hey everyone I am still a college student and work as a CNA at a home health and hospice in Washington state. I work for a non profit agency which all ready pays below what my areas going rate for cna's is and I knew that going in. The people I work for and with are amazing and we have multiple awards to prove this.

The problem I have is that as a student I am really only able to work weekends when school is in session. I work two 12 hour sleep overs and one 12 hour day shift every weekend. My strait pay rate is $9.75 an hour but the way medicare is set up even tho I work 12 full hours at night they only a flat rate of $70.04 for the whole 12 hours. That is only $5.84 an hour which is complete slave wages.

They pay $5.84

federal min wage is $7.25

Washington state min wage is $8.55

my strait pay rate is $9.75

$5.84 is $1.41 less than federal min wage 2.71 less than washington state min wage and $3.91 less than my actual pay rate.

I have been killing my self working full time 37 hours a weekend helping make those who are scared and in constant pain be as comfortable as possible in their homes. I get no sleep at work I spend the whole night watching over my patients cleaning up after their accidents and I make less than I would if I worked for minimum wage at burger king.

I have never been political before out side voting in elections but I have been doing this almost a year and its not right. Someone has to speak up and I know its probably hopeless for one man to change the system but if no one says anything than it will never change. I am planning on writing my my political officials and seeing if maybe I can get a story out in the local news outlets. Hell maybe even get a petition started to show community support against the slave wages the government has decided to pay for some of the most disgusting and emotionally hard work in the field.

If anyone has any ideas on how to go about this or what their feelings are this subject I would love to hear them.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

When I was in nursing school I worked as a CNA for $5.45 an hour and there was no "sleeping over" in the equation. If you don't like the circumstances, go to work straight eight hour shifts for another employer where you are paid the going rate.

My first nursing job, in 1976 paid me $5.87 an hour.....That as an RN!

[mazy]

I also am not completely understanding the pay issue or what the government or media would have to do with it, but I think it would take a lot less energy and be a lot more effective to simply find another job.

If they can't hire and retain workers at the pay they are offering, then they'll need to start addressing their wage offerings.

Also, this is the second post I've read that says that there is a pay issue is because the agency is non-profit. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything; anyone can say they are non-profit, but most genuine non-profit agencies that I know of offer competetive salaries.

I think you are being hornswaggled.

But if you feel that you are not being paid a fair rate, then best to look for a job elsewhere.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

OK, pet peeve time.

Saying you make slave wages is equivalent to people comparing every president elected into office to Hitler (If you visited enough forums you know what I'm talking about). It trivializes the subject matter. Slaves were taken from their country, forced to work hard manual labor for $0, beaten, starved and sexually assaulted.

Sorry for the rant. There are just some things.....lol.

.

Allright gymnut! You have successfully demonstrated a phenomenon we were talking about last night on another forum. So I'm going completely off topic to introduce "Godwin's law" - ever heard of it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

I thought this might be of interest to a few; anyway, to get back to it.............

[JasonK]

Haha! Godwin's law... that's great.

[2011NursingStudent]

I don't understand how you can make less than federal minimum wage, unless you're an intern, and then you make zero. I once worked as a waitress and the company I worked for (an IL casino) did not understand the law that if waitresses made less than the minimum wage per hour in tips, the company is obligated to pay a "tip credit" to bring the hourly wage to minimum wage. I went to the unemployment office and filed for unemployment with the reason that the company was illegally paying me only $3.25-$5 an hour and it had gone on for 3 weeks while I was in training, with no tip credit. The company was fined, I was mailed over $100 in tip credits, and I received unemployment. I used that time to find a MUCH better job. I'm telling you that story to you let you know that you do have options if the company is illegally not paying you minimum wage.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

Its because your getting paid to sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is standard. I worked a job like that and occassionally the resident would wake up and i literally would not sleep the entire night and they still only paid that low wage. I chose to leave when they lowered the compensation piece. At some homes that is completely fair compensation because the pts are easy at some its simply not fair. You have to make the decision to stay or go. but the price as far as i know is legal in that industry.

[gymnut]

Allright gymnut! You have successfully demonstrated a phenomenon we were talking about last night on another forum. So I'm going completely off topic to introduce "Godwin's law" - ever heard of it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

I thought this might be of interest to a few; anyway, to get back to it.............

Yes I've heard of it and it makes me facepalm every time!

[knottygirl]

Maybe I'm off on some "other" but I think some of you guys are missing the point. It's not about quitting and working somewhere else. I *think* she's saying that because of the schedule she works due to school, the feds only pay her a flat rate of 70 whatever, regardless of hours actually worked. If she didn't work that weekend wierd schedule, she'd actually get the 9.75 or whatever. I think her point is, how can she be reimbursed for the full charges. Like another poster said, you may definitely want to contact your job, congressman etc. However, you can most CERTAINLY claim it on your FEDERAL and STATE tax return. You need to keep a record of how many hours you have worked etc etc. If you're not sure how to claim it, I would suggest you go to a tax return company that can help you. Liberty Tax service is a good one, h&r block will do the job but they're expensive. Get your money though!!! You are entitled to it, you just have to work to get it (just like the doctors do). It's just a tax issue at this point.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

several advocacy groups working on the issue of inequitable pay, wage and overtime protections for home care workers along with patient care rights.

issue of working 24hrs providing companionship care but being paid only 12-16 hrs is hot topic in homecare circles.

consumer consortium on assisted living - a national consumer advocacy organization dedicated to the needs, rights, and protections of assisted living consumers.

direct care alliance (dca) --a national coalition of long-term care consumers, direct-care workers, and healthcare providers who are working towards reforms to ensure a stable, valued, and well-trained direct-care workforce that can meet consumers' demands.

phi’s campaign for fair pay

home care workers are one of america’s fastest growing workforces — providing critical services for our elders and people with disabilities.

so why does the us department of labor exclude them from federal minimum wage and overtime protections — equating their work with that of “casual babysitters?” help bring an end to the companionship exemption.

national clearinghouse on the direct care workforce –a program that provides access to government and research reports, news items, issue briefs, fact sheets, and other information on topics such as recruitment, career advancement, supervision, workplace culture, and innovative care giving practices.

paraprofessional healthcare institute- a non-profit that is addressing the direct-care staffing crisis by creating innovations in provider practice; building coalitions to support better public policies and collecting and disseminating information about direct-care workforce issues.

[Leelee2]

It sounds as if you are in not an ideal situation, look for an employer that will pay you fair wages.