CPC Statement on Ending the 24-Hour Rule in NYS Home Care

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** 

Date: June 16, 2021

Contact: Wayne Ho, President & CEO | (212) 941-0920 x 143 | who@cpc-nyc.org 

CPC Statement on Ending the 24-Hour Rule in NYS Home Care

New York, NY – The New York State legislative session ended on Friday, June 11th. While some critical pieces of legislation were passed, the Chinese-American Planning Council Inc. (CPC) and its subsidiary, the CPC Home Attendant Program Inc. (HAP), are disappointed that A3145 (Epstein) – the bill to end 24-hour shifts for home care workers and replace those live-in shifts with 12-hour split shifts – did not pass. It is an urgent priority to end this practice, and we are grateful to the long-time legislative champions and the seven new co-sponsors that signed in support of A3145 this session. We will continue building momentum around this important issue by advocating for change ahead of the next legislative session.

CPC and CPCHAP (licensed in 1998) are each in full support of home care workers who are calling for the end of 24-hour shifts. The State must immediately end the 24-hour rule in favor of two 12-hour split shifts where home care workers are fully compensated for each hour worked.  Only the Governor and State Legislature can accomplish this reform through passing A3145. This would cost approximately $1 billion in Medicaid each year to implement statewide, which is a small portion of the State’s $212 billion budget. CPC has been advocating for the bill to end the 24-hour rule since its introduction and secured seven new co-sponsors on the bill this session. 

New York State has approximately 11,000 24-hour cases, staffed by 33,000 home care workers who have 24-hour shifts. CPCHAP has 54 of these cases (0.49%) staffed by 124 workers (0.37%). We believe that just one worker having a 24-hour shift is too many, and we have been advocating to change this practice for all workers for years. You can learn more here.

The 24-hour rule has been set and enforced by the State since the 1970s, as home care workers have 24-hour shifts and are compensated for 13 hours. Home care regulations and compensation are determined by the State, contracted by the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), and backed by court decisions and 1199SEIU union agreements. Home care agencies do not, and cannot, determine these regulations and compensation. In addition, home care agencies cannot terminate any existing cases because of the Patients' Bill of Rights; it is illegal to drop a case and leave a patient without care. When presented with a 24-hour case, CPCHAP strongly seeks State authorization for 12-hour split shifts, yet these requests are repeatedly refused by NYS and NYC. You can learn more about authorization here. This is why the system must change to make 12-hour split shifts the standard instead of a rare exception.

This issue is widespread across the home care sector, with 40+ nonprofit home care agencies involved in 140+ lawsuits that 1199SEIU brought into arbitration on behalf of their workers. We believe that all of these agencies – and 1199SEIU – should join CPC and the home care workers in calling for an end to the 24-hour rule at the State level. Such reform will be better for both home care workers and clients, who are homebound seniors or individuals with disabilities. Statewide reform will take a large coalition, and that is why we urge other home care agencies, 1199SEIU, HCA, HCP, and other influential actors to join us in this advocacy. You can read our full statement on the home care issue here.

We understand the frustrations that home care workers feel. Unfortunately, this is an industry-wide issue because the 24-hour rule is set and enforced by the State. 24-hour shifts are not our choice, and home care agencies (including CPCHAP) do not have the power to end 24-hour shifts on our own. This is why we will continue to advocate for the Governor and State Legislature to end this practice, and for just and comprehensive reform of the home care sector to build a just and caring economy in New York.

ABOUT CPC
The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is a social services organization that creates positive social change. Founded in 1965, CPC is the nation's largest Asian American social services organization and aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City. CPC is the trusted partner to individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community, and career. 

華人策劃會就紐約州結束24小時家庭護理制聲明

**即時發布**

日期：2021年6月16日

聯繫人：Wayne Ho，首席執行官 ｜(212) 941-0920 x 143 ｜who@cpc-nyc.org

紐約州立法會於 6 月 11 日星期五結束。雖然會議通過了一些重要的立法，但令華策會(CPC)及其子公司，華策會家庭服務員項目(HAP)失望的是， A3145法案沒有被通過。這法案如果通過,將會結束家庭護理24小時輪班制，並用12小時分班制取而代之。當務之急是結束24小時輪班制。在此，我們感謝長期以來支持A3145立法的人們

和在本屆會議上簽署支持A3145的七個新的聯席提案人。我們將繼續支持改革，在下屆立法會上通過此法案。

CPC和CPCHAP(1998年獲得執照)都全力支持要求結束家庭護理24小時輪班制。紐約州必須立即終止24小時工作制，轉而採用兩個12小時分班制，確保家庭護理可以按工作小時數獲得全部報酬。想要完成這項改革，只有靠州長和州立法會通過A3145法案。若得以在全州範圍內實行，每年則將花費約10億美元，但與該州2120億美元的預算相比相對很少。自A3145法案提出以來，華策會一直在努力宣揚，並在本屆會議上鎖定了七名新的議員支持A3145。

紐約州約有11,000個24小時制案例，並且有33,000名24小時輪班制的家庭護理工作人員。CPCHAP只有54個案例(占0.49%)，並且有124 名護工(占0.37%)。但我們認為任何一名護理需要輪班24小時也是不合理的。多年來我們一直倡導為所有護理改變這種情況，如果您想要了解更多信息，可以點擊這裡。

自70年代以來，紐約州制定並執行了24小時工作制，即家庭護理人員實行24小時輪班制，但只有獲得13小時的報酬。家庭護理規則和薪酬是由紐約州制定，合同方為紐約市

人力資源管理局 (HRA)，並得到法院規定和1199SEIU工會協議的支持。家庭護理機構不會也不能決定其規則和薪酬。此外，根據《患者權利法案》，家庭護理機構不能終止任何現有護理案例；如果患者得不到照顧是違法的。當面對24小時制案例時，CPCHAP強烈要求州的相關機構批准12小時分班制，但這些請求被紐約州和紐約市政府一再駁回。(更多有關信息可以在此處找到。)這也是為什麼我們必須要改成12小時分班制為標準制度。

這問題在家庭護理業界是非常普遍的。有40多個非營利家庭護理機構代表其護工參與了1199SEIU提起的140多起訴訟。我們認為所有這些機構以及1199SEIU都應該與華人策劃會(CPC)和家庭護理人員一起呼籲紐約州政府結束24小時工作制。這種改革對家庭護理人員以及我們的客戶 ,居家老人或殘障人士都有好處。全州改革需要一個大聯盟，這也是我們敦促其他家庭護理機構、1199SEIU、HCA、HCP和其他有影響力的人士加入我們的行列。您可以在此處閱讀我們關於家庭護理問題的完整聲明。

我們十分理解家庭護理的經歷,挫折和沮喪。可惜是，這是一個行業問題，因為24小時工作制是由州政府製定和執行的，並不是我們的選擇的。家庭護理機構(包括 CPCHAP)無權自行結束24小時工作制。這就是為什麼我們將繼續要求州長和州議會結束這種做法，並要求對家庭護理法案進行全面改革，並在紐約建立一個公正和充滿關懷的地方

關於華策會
華人策劃協會（簡稱“華策會”）是一個致力於創造正向社會變革的社會服務機構。華策會成立於1965年，是美國最大的亞裔美國人社會服務機構，旨在促進紐約市華裔美國人，移民，及低收入社區的社會權益和經濟賦權。華策會是為實現其教育，家庭，社區及職業目標而努力的個人和家庭可信賴的機構。