File #: Res 0324-2004    Version: * Name: Offering the Council's full support for the "Invisible No More" campaign.
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 5/5/2004
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution offering the Council’s full support for the “Invisible No More!” campaign that is dedicated to winning home health aide contracts that mandate a Living Wage of $10 an hour by 2006, health benefits for home health aides and their families, paid vacation time and sick leave.
Sponsors: Helen D. Foster, Annabel Palma, Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy L. Boyland, Lewis A. Fidler, Alan J. Gerson, Letitia James, Allan W. Jennings, Jr., G. Oliver Koppell, Margarita Lopez, Miguel Martinez, Hiram Monserrate, Bill Perkins, Philip Reed, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, James Sanders, Jr., Larry B. Seabrook, Jose M. Serrano, Albert Vann, David I. Weprin, David Yassky, Bill De Blasio, James F. Gennaro, John C. Liu, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Vincent J. Gentile, Robert Jackson, Yvette D. Clarke, Christine C. Quinn, Kendall Stewart, Gale A. Brewer, Sara M. Gonzalez, Melinda R. Katz, Helen Sears, Gifford Miller, Betsy Gotbaum
Council Member Sponsors: 39
Attachments: 1. Memo, 2. Committee Report, 3. Hearing Transcript, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
6/28/2004*Helen D. Foster City Council Approved, by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/24/2004*Helen D. Foster City Council Laid Over by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/24/2004*Helen D. Foster Committee on Health Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/24/2004*Helen D. Foster Committee on Health Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/5/2004*Helen D. Foster City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/5/2004*Helen D. Foster City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 324

 

Resolution offering the Council’s full support for the “Invisible No More!” campaign that is dedicated to winning home health aide contracts that mandate a Living Wage of $10 an hour by 2006, health benefits for home health aides and their families, paid vacation time and sick leave.

 

By Council Members Foster, Palma, Addabbo, Baez, Barron, Boyland, Fidler, Gerson, James, Jennings, Koppell, Lopez, Martinez, Monserrate, Perkins, Reed, Reyna, Rivera, Sanders, Seabrook, Serrano, Vann, Weprin, Yassky, DeBlasio, Gennaro, Liu, Comrie, Gentile, Jackson, Clarke, Quinn, Stewart, Brewer, Gonzalez, Katz, Sears, The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum)

 

Whereas, While home health aides provide compassionate care for people discharged from hospitals and nursing homes who need ongoing medical and personal assistance in their homes, they are often not provided with health benefits for themselves; and

Whereas, According to the New York Department of Labor statistics, home health aides working in New York City are among the lowest paid workers in the State, often earning less than $7.00 an hour (or about $12,500 a year) with no health, pension, paid sick or vacation time benefits; and

 Whereas, According to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, such poor pay and benefits result in high rates of turnover of workers - as much as 50 percent to 60 percent annually; and

Whereas, Furthermore, Medicaid dollars fund more than half of the home care services provided in New York State; and

Whereas, According to 1199 SEIU’s report entitled, “The Plight of New York’s Home Health Aides,” home health aides are left with little compensation in terms of wages and benefits because a complicated regulatory system allows home health agencies to siphon off as much as two thirds of the funding received from Medicaid for administrative overhead - including exorbitant executive salaries - before the money reaches those who actually provide the services; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York offers the Council’s full support for the “Invisible No More!” campaign that is dedicated to winning home health aide contracts that mandate a Living Wage of $10 an hour by 2006, health benefits for home health aides and their families, paid vacation time and sick leave.

 

DP

LS# 3586

4/29/04