BILL NUMBER: S5540

SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to extending wage
parity for home care workers in upstate New York

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would extend the wage parity requirement upstate and require a
wage of $20.42 as of October 1.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 3614-c of the public health
law, to create a new minimum compensation rate for home care aides in
all counties outside of Bronx, Queens, Kings, New York, Richmond,
Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester. For all periods on or after October
first, two thousand twenty-five, the cash portion of the minimum total
compensation for home care aides in these counties will be set at the
region's existing minimum rate, as defined in Section 3614-f, plus an
              

additional three dollars and twenty-two cents per hour.

Section 2: Sets Effective Date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Wage parity for home care workers in New York must be addressed.  In
2023, Medicaid is assuming a cost of $29.40 per hour for home care
upstate versus $27.40 downstate, but the minimum compensation for work-
ers is just $16.20 versus $21.09 in NYC and $20.22 in Long Island and
Westchester. Those rates will go up to $22.09 and $21.22, respectively,
on October 1st. This legislation would extend the wage parity require-
ment upstate and require a wage of $20.42 as of October 1st. It would
not require additional state investment as the $29.40 rate already pays
for it.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Senate

2023: S5777, Referred to Health

2024: S5777, Referred to Health Assembly

2023: A5811, Referred to Health

2024: A5811, Referred to Health

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.