Home health care occupations are projected to grow more than any others through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but the workers who fill these jobs aren’t covered by our nation’s most basic labor laws. They should be.  The exclusion of an estimated 1.7 million home care workers from the federal minimum wage and overtime law has depressed wages in the industry and led to extremely long hours for those workers who provide round-the-clock care. These are the caregivers who get our grandmothers out of bed in the morning and facilitate the feeding tubes of our disabled neighbors. It’s time to close the loopholes that exempt them from federal wage and hour laws — laws most of us take for granted.

The exclusion dates back to 1974, when Congress extended the law to cover domestic workers but carved out exemptions for casual babysitters and individuals who provide “companionship services.” Legislative history shows, however, that Congress meant only to exempt companions who “are not regular breadwinners or responsible for their families’ support.” Today, rising demand and responsibilities for home care workers mean their jobs are often their primary vocation and main source of income. Millions of American families depend on this income, and millions more of Americans depend on the services of this industry.  Unfortunately, with an average national wage of $9.34 per hour for work that is both emotionally and physically demanding, morale among today’s home care workers is low and workplace injuries are common. One in five lives below the poverty line, and in 29 states the average hourly wages are low enough to qualify workers for public assistance, according to PHI, a national advocacy group for the direct care workforce. (click on link to read full story)