Pass the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act

Despite providing care and services that help millions of elderly and people living with disabilities to maintain their dignity and autonomy, most direct care workers receive low wages, little or no benefits, and insufficient training and professional development. As a result, this profession is plagued by high turnover rates that compromise the quality of care for the people they serve.

Because more than 75 percent of long-term care is financed by federal programs, government needs to be part of the solution. The Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act, which has been introduced into Congress as H.R. 2341 and S. 1273, will help create a stable, valued direct care workforce and increase the quality of care for millions of Americans.

The Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act will:

• Extend wage and overtime protections provided through the Fair Labor Standards Act to home care workers.
• Establish data collection and reporting requirements to monitor important workforce indicators such as size, compensation levels, turnover rates and vacancies.
• Improve the recruitment and retention of direct care workers by providing grants to states to expand and support efforts aimed at recruiting, training and retaining an adequate supply of direct care workers.

Ask your representatives to cosponsor the bill.

Read more about the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act, download a list of organizations that support the bill, and learn why we need to oppose a proposed bill that would deny home care workers basic labor protections.

Want to schedule a local visit with your Representative? Download talking points, a bill summary and our advocacy packet.