No overtime for home care

In light of a federal judge’s decision to overturn a U.S. Department of Labor rule, California will not implement overtime pay for home care workers.

Under the rule, which was set to take effect Jan. 1, all home care workers would have been guaranteed at least federal minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) and received time-and-a-half pay for working beyond 40 hours in a week, according to the Los Angeles Times.

However, on Jan. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon overturned the law, noting that only Congress has the authority to award extra pay to the 2 million home care workers nationwide. The next day, the California Department of Social Services announced the state would not be implementing overtime pay as promised.

California employs about 400,000 such workers through its In-Home Supportive Services program.