Staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities often discuss being overworked, feeling burnt out, and being employed at facilities where they do not earn enough money to stay engaged in their jobs. When employees at nursing homes and assisted living facilities feel overworked, underappreciated, and burnt out, the overall quality of their work can suffer, which can ultimately have a negative effect on the residents of these facilities for whom those workers provide the necessary care. Could an increase in wages for workers at nursing homes and assisted living facilities reduce the incidents of nursing home neglect or nursing home negligence in Southern California?
According to a recent article in McKnight’s Senior Living, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed new legislation into law that will increase the minimum wage for workers at nursing homes and assisted living facilities to $25 per hour. Our Riverside County nursing home negligence lawyers want to discuss the potential impact of the increase in pay on residents at these facilities throughout the state.
Details of the Newly Signed Legislation
As the McKnight’s article explains, the new legislation ultimately will impact about 400,000 employees in California. About 75% are women, and 75 percent are also people of color, based on data from the Labor Center at the University of California, Berkeley. The legislation was initially introduced by California state Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and the increase in the wage will occur gradually.
Currently, before the new law takes effect, employees at nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout California are only required to be paid a minimum wage of $15.50 per hour. Beginning on June 1, 2024, the minimum wage for those workers will increase to $23 per hour. On June 1, 2025, the minimum wage for those workers will rise again to $24 and finally to $25 per hour on June 1, 2026.
Potential Effects of a Wage Increase
Even with the increase to $23 per hour on June 1, 2024, employees earning minimum wage at nursing homes and assisted living facilities will see a significant increase in paychecks. To put the wage increase in perspective, an employee currently working a 40-hour workweek at a nursing home in Southern California who earns minimum wage earns $620 per week before taxes and other deductions. With the increase to $23 per hour, that same employee will earn $920 per week for the same work.
When employees feel undervalued and underpaid, facilities can be understaffed. As an article in Nurse Journal underscores, understaffing can lead to resident injuries caused by negligence and passive neglect. Accordingly, it is possible that a rise in wages could make for healthier living conditions for residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Southern California.
Contact a Nursing Home Negligence Attorney in Riverside County
Do you currently have a loved one who resides at a nursing home or assisted living facility in Southern California? If you have any concerns at all about your loved one’s health, safety, or quality of care, it is important to get in touch with an experienced Riverside County nursing home neglect attorney who can help you understand available options. Contact the Walton Law Firm today for assistance.
See Related Blog Posts:
Mental Illness and Nursing Home Negligence in Los Angeles County
Nursing Home Negligence and Choking Injuries in Orange County