Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule banning post-employment noncompete agreements. You may read a summary of the rule here and the rule in its entirety here.
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On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL) announced a final rule that raises the salary threshold to qualify for certain overtime exemptions under federal law. The rule will take effect on July 1, 2024. You can read the full rule by clicking here.
Cybersecurity isn't just an issue for large organizations. It's a threat to every individual and business.
As a home care business owner, are you seeking accelerated growth and the ultimate goal of entrepreneurial freedom?
Thank you to the more than 100 HCAOA members who traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to advocate for home care during the 2024 HCAOA National Home Care Advocacy Day! Over 100 meetings were held with members of Congress, personal connections were made, and existing ones strengthened allowing doors to be opened on important issues impacting home care.
As expected, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized their Medicaid Access Rule today. Among many other things, the rule includes a problematic provision that mandates that 80 percent of Medicaid reimbursement dollars paid to providers be allocated to caregiver wages. Although HCAOA supports certain aspects of this rule, the 80/20 provision will cause many Medicaid providers to either curtail services or cease providing services entirely, resulting in reduced patient access.
Support from neighbors can make a real difference. Your clients know this first-hand. They’re able to remain at home and active within their communities longer, thanks to the care you provide.
A recent article published in HealthAffairs emphasized how the COVID-19 pandemic strained the already fragile direct care workforce, which led to closures of vital home and community-based services (HCBS) providers and placed additional burdens on family caregivers. The federal government deployed short-term funding and flexibility through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to stabilize the workforce, resulting in improved wages and workforce initiatives. However, these gains are now in jeopardy as the enhanced federal funds are depleted. To address this, policymakers must act swiftly to preserve recent progress and enhance workforce stabilization efforts. Insights from interviews and focus groups across states underscore the need for higher wages, improved training and support systems, and meaningful worker engagement in program development. Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed several workplace protection bills, including the Employee Free Choice Act (SB 5778), making Washington the sixth state to bar employers from disciplining or terminating employees who decline to attend "captive audience" meetings, often used to undermine union activities. Another notable bill (HB 1905) expands pay equity investigations by allowing the Department of Labor & Industries to probe discrimination claims based on age, race, disability, and other protected classes, previously limited to gender-based claims. Inslee also approved SB 5793, which enhances the state's paid sick leave law, broadening its scope to include caring for non-traditional family members such as roommates and close relationships and enabling paid sick leave if a child’s school or daycare is closed due to emergency declarations made by local, state, or federal government.
The Connecticut General Assembly approved a new three-year agreement reached between the Connecticut Personal Care Assistant (PCA) Workforce Council and SEIU District 1199 New England.
John Sneath, founder and CEO of HCAOA member Tribute Home Care, was recently featured on the Home Health Care News Disrupt podcast. Sneath shared insights about why Tribute is doubling down on private-pay personal care and how the agency approaches caregiver recruitment and hiring.
California Chapter Leadership is requesting members to send letters of support for AB 2185. Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson is sponsoring AB 2185, which would prohibit Domestic Referral Agencies (DRAs) from compensating home care workers and independent contractors, which has become more and more of an issue in California, especially in recent years as the demand for services grows. AB 2185 would allow Domestic Referral Agencies to continue to provide referral services but not allow them to function as unlicensed home care organizations by compensating domestic workers who provide care to seniors on an ongoing basis without being a licensed home care organization and the licensing requirements that are required of home care organizations and protections for home care aides and seniors.
Last week, HCAOA members joined forces with the South Carolina Home Care and Hospice Association and Hearts for Home Care to advocate for home care and hospice services. Thirty advocates and providers across the state walked the halls and met with over 35 lawmakers at the state Capitol in Columbia to address workforce wage demand. HCAOA South Carolina Chair Melissa Allman, Director of Government Affairs at BAYADA Home Care, stated, “We are grateful for the continued support from the General Assembly and the Department of Health and Human Services.”
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