Assemblyman John Mikulin (R,C,Ref-Bethpage) is joining his colleagues with the Assembly Minority to push for an additional wage increase for direct-care workers starting April 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Currently, the Assembly Majority has proposed for direct care workers to not receive a wage increase until January 1, 2020, leaving a 21-month gap between Phase 2 and Phase 3. Due to the increase of minimum wage in January 2019, some direct-care workers are currently receiving minimum wage.

“Being a direct-care worker is a difficult job physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Mikulin. “Yet the pay they receive is comparable to that of minimum wage, so a 16-year-old could potentially be making the same at their first job as an adult who has been in the profession for years. This is completely unacceptable, as is making these hard working Americans wait for another raise until next year. We need to act now and show these people how important their work is to society, not nine months from now when some may decide it isn’t worth it when they could be making the same for a less demanding job elsewhere.”

The proposed amendment by the Assembly Minority also proposes that Phase 4, which has yet to be outlined by bill language, begin April 1, 2020 and end March 31, 2021.