BILL REQ. #:  S-3520.3 

Read first time 01/09/2006.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to parity for home care agency workers; and adding new sections to chapter 74.39A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 74.39A RCW to read as follows:
     The department shall create a formula that converts the cost of the increase in wages and benefits negotiated every two years in the contract for individual provider home care workers into a per-hour amount. That per-hour amount shall be added to the home care agency vendor rate and must be used exclusively for improving the wages and benefits of home care agency workers. The formula must account for all types of wages, benefits, and compensation negotiated each biennium, including but not limited to:
     (1) Regular wages;
     (2) Benefit pay, such as vacation, sick, and holiday pay;
     (3) Taxes on wages/benefit pay;
     (4) Mileage;
     (5) Labor costs required for home care agencies but not for individual provider home care agency workers, such as travel pay, administrative pay, overtime, and overprovided hours; and
     (6) The average cost of workers' compensation for home care agencies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 74.39A RCW to read as follows:
     Benefits, including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision, shall be provided to home care agency workers at the same rate and on the same basis as benefits negotiated for individual provider home care workers.