Press Releases

On Wednesday, November 20th at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, chaired by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), will hold a hearing entitled "Redefining Companion Care: Jeopardizing Access to Affordable Care for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

In 1974 Congress amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to cover workers who perform domestic services. Recognizing the need for seniors and individuals with disabilities to have access to affordable care in their homes, Congress created an exemption for workers providing in-home companion care. However, a regulatory proposal finalized by the Department of Labor would severely restrict a worker’s ability to qualify for this exemption, with potentially negative consequences for individuals who rely upon these services.

Under the department’s new rules, only workers employed directly by an individual (or family member) receiving companion care that comply with a number of arbitrary standards will qualify for the exemption. The regulation also eliminates the exemption for companion care workers employed by a third-party.

Tomorrow's hearing will provide members an opportunity to discuss how the department’s regulation affects those who rely upon in-home companion care. To learn more about this hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings.

 

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WITNESS LIST

Ms. Lucy Andrews
Vice Chair
National Association for Home Care & Hospice
Washington, D.C.

Mr. Joseph Bensmihen
President and Chief Executive Officer 
United Elder Care Services, Inc. 
Boca Raton, FL

Ms. Karen Kulp
President  
Home Care Associates 
Philadelphia, PA

Mr. Alexander J. Passantino
Senior Counsel
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Washington, D.C.