Catherwood LibraryILR School

The U.S. Secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez, revealed today that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets the federal minimum wage and overtime requirements, will be extended to include home health workers. In the past these workers, who administer basic medical assistance to the infirmed or elderly in-home, had fallen under a ?companionship exemption? in the law. Many see this as a positive move toward greater equality as many of the workers affected are women and minorities; others foresee issues maintaining the necessary patient-coverage while also adhering to Medicaid payment rates. The changes to the rule will take effect on January 1, 2015.