Caregiver Versus Personal Attendant - Wages and Benefits

Family Lawyers - Caregiver Versus Personal Attendant - Wages and Benefits

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Are you a caregiver or a personal attendant who works in a hidden household or home? As a household employee whether as a caregiver or personal attendant, are you entitled to minimum wage? Over-time pay? Other benefits?

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If hired directly by an private or family, your benefits are separate from one who is hired by a hidden firm or group and governed by general employment laws: applicable federal and state statutes.

A live-in employee as opposed to a live-out employee is subject to special work rules discussed below.

A caregiver or "care custodian" is defined by Section 15610.17 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code as:

"... An administrator or an employee of...public or hidden facilities or agencies, or persons providing care or services for elders or dependent adults, together with members of the maintain staff and maintenance staff."

A "personal attendant" is not entitled to overtime compensation, unless: (1.) he or she is a live-in employee; or (2.) he or she does general household work (cleaning, cooking, feeding, dressing, or supervising) that exceeds 20% of the total work time; or (3.) he or she does nurse-like duties (checking pulse, taking temperature, giving medication) more than 20% of the total work time.

In these three instances, the household employee is no longer considered a "personal attendant" and is entitled to overtime pay. Otherwise, light house holding and cooking chores qualify as work exempt from overtime compensation.

Personal Attendant As Defined In Ca Iwc Wage Order 15:

Section 2(J) of the California commercial Welfare Commission (Iwc) Wage Order No. 15-2001 defines "personal attendant" as follows:

"'Personal attendant' includes baby sitters and means any man employed by a hidden householder or by any third party owner recognized in the health care business to work in a hidden household, to supervise, feed or dress a child or man who by hypothesize of advanced age, corporeal disability, or reasoning scantness needs supervision. The status of 'personal attendant' shall apply when no vital estimate of work other than the foregoing is required."

Indeed, the California group of Labor Standards enforcement (Dlse) has historically adopted the suitable used in the federal regulations, 29 C.F.R. 552.6 on "companionship services," to wit:

"...(T)he term 'companionship services' shall mean those services which supply fellowship, care, and security for a man who, because of advanced age or corporeal or reasoning infirmity, cannot care for his or her own needs. Such services may include household work connected to the care of the aged or infirm man such as meal preparation, bed making, washing of clothes, and other similar services. They may also include the doing of general household work: Provided, however, that such work is incidental, i.e., does not exceed 20 percent of the total weekly hours worked."

Federal regulations, 29 C.F.R 552.6, supra, further clarifies that:

"The term 'companionship services' does not include services connected to the care and security of the aged or infirm that want and are performed by trained personnel, such as registered or practical nurse."

Thus, the suitable duties of a "personal attendant" involve activities of daily living such as getting in or out of bed, showering, bathing, using a toilet. A "personal attendant's" duties of "supervising" would include aid in obtaining medical care, preparation meals, shopping for personal items or groceries, using a telephone, even managing money.

As long as any general housekeeping duties performed do not exceed 20% of the weekly working time spent by a "personal attendant," he or she is exempted from the protections of California Wage Order No. 15-2001 such as overtime compensation, etc., except for minimum wage. But prior to 2001, a classification as "personal attendant" also excluded minimum wage in California.

This overtime payment exemption also applies to "personal attendants" as well as other household workers such as caregivers, spending 20% or less of their working time doing general household work, who are employed by an group and sent to hidden households to work.

Benefits Of Household Workers:

A. Minimum Wage:

The state minimum wage covers all employees, together with household workers (live-in employees, caregivers, and "personal attendants") but excluding legitimate independent contractors. The current California minimum wage is .00 per hour since January 1, 2008, a 6.7% growth over the old .50 minimum wage.

There are several factors that determine whether a man is an independent contractor or not. But the customary factor is operate by the owner of the means, manner and outcome of the job. An independent contractor runs his or her own household services business, has his or her tools and materials, and controls the manner and outcome of the job.

Independent contractors are not covered by minimum wage and overtime payment statutes.

B. Overtime Pay:

Household workers who are not live-in employees, as well as "personal attendants" who do general household work that exceeds 20% of their weekly working time, are entitled to overtime compensation, consisting of one and one half times their quarterly rate of pay for working more than eight (8) hours in a day, or more than (40) hours in a week.

Live-in employees must be paid one and one half times the quarterly rate for all hours worked over twelve (12) hours (instead of over eight (8) hours) in one work day for five (5) workdays. On the sixth and seventh day, live-in employees must be paid duplicate the quarterly rate for all hours worked over (9) hours per day. See California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(A)-(B) (8 Cal Code Regs. 11150(3)(A)-(B)).

Under federal law, 29 U.S.C. 213(a)(15), "any employee employed on a casual basis in domestic aid employment to supply babysitting services or any employee employed in domestic aid employment to supply companionship services for individuals who (because of age or infirmity) are unable to care for themselves" is granted exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay.

C. Other Benefits Of Household Workers:

1. Hours And Days Of Work:

A live-in employee is entitled to at least twelve (12) consecutive hours free of duty while each workday of twenty-four (24) hours, and the total span of hours for a day of work should not exceed twelve (12) hours, except that: (a) the employee must have at least three (3) hours free of duty while the 12 hours span of work; and (b) the employee required or permitted to work while scheduled off-duty hours or while the 12 consecutive off-duty hours must be paid one and one-half times the quarterly rate of pay for all such hours worked. See California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(A).

Moreover, no live-in employee shall be required to work more than five (5) days in any one workweek without a day off of not less than 24 consecutive hours except in an emergency. See California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(B).

2. Rest And Meal Periods:

Household workers are entitled to a ten-minute paid rest break for every four (4) hours of work under California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 12(A), and a thirty-minute meal period of every five (5) hours worked, just like others kinds of employees, under California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 11(A).

Otherwise, the owner shall pay the employee one (1) hour of pay at quarterly rate for each workday that the rest period, or the meal period is not provided. See California Iwc Wage Order No. 15-2001 12(B), 11(D). But "personal attendants" are not granted rest and meal periods.

3. Meal And Housing Deductions From Wages:

The owner may subtract meal and housing credits from the employee's paycheck if: (a) the employee authentically uses the meals and is provided with housing; (b) meals and housing are used as wage to comply with the minimum wage; and (c) the employee executes a voluntary, written agreement, crediting meals and housing towards minimum wage.

Meal reputation may be deducted as follows: breakfast - .45; lunch - .35, and dinner - .50. Housing may also be credited at .75 per week for a room (.20 if shared). See California Iwc Wage Order No. 15 - 2001 10(C).

In summary, whether you are a caregiver or a "personal attendant" entitled to particular wages and benefits in California or in other states depends on whether the general household work you do exceeds 20% of your total work time.

(The Author, Roman P. Mosqueda, practices wage and hour law in California.

This record is not legal advice, and no attorney-client association is formed with the reader. For exact labor law issues, consult a competent attorney.)

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