A bill at the South Carolina Statehouse is seeking to give more money directly to at-home health care workers. Bill H.4464 will be in front of a subcommittee meeting at the capital on Tuesday afternoon, and experts say it seeks to use federal money that’s already been allocated to put more money in the pockets of these essential workers. Thelma Pabon is a former at-home health care worker, now working for the National Domestic Workers’ Alliance.She said she would frequently help up to four clients at a time, with little compensation. “There’s no paid time off. There’s no mileage. There’s no reimbursement for gas or anything, and I had to travel to three to four different areas,” Pabon said. “The money wasn’t a lot of money. It wasn’t enough. It was enough to sustain a family of two. But then, as my family grew, it wasn’t enough.” The workers’ alliance said as of May 2023, home health and personal care aides in South Carolina earned a median wage of just $13.62. Three years ago, Maria Reyes of the Workers Alliance said the state legislature approved a pay increase to $25 per hour; however, much of that money is kept by providers.                 “We’re not attempting to be the federal government, but we are saying that we know you gave this money in good faith, and it was to go to the workers. So let’s ensure that the workers receive it,” she said. On Tuesday, South Carolina representatives will hear House Bill 4464, aimed at creating a wage pass-through that would give up to 70% of that compensation directly to caregivers. “You’re not going to be able get SNAP, you can afford your own groceries. You’re not going to be on Medicaid. You’re not going to be on assistance because you’re making an adequate wage for your family. So this would help everybody. This would lift the state,” Reyes said.From 2010 to 2020, the National Domestic Workers Alliance says the home health and personal care aide workforce in South Carolina grew by approximately 52%, and by 2032, the state is expected to see 66,500 job openings.”People are actually leaving this industry to go to Target, leaving this industry to go to McDonald’s because McDonald’s offers benefits and this industry doesn’t,” Reyes said. “I plan on being here forever. I don’t know about y’all, but I plan on being here at least 103, so I need to know that there’ll be somebody here to take care of me.”That meeting is set to happen on Tuesday afternoon after the house adjourns.

COLUMBIA, S.C. —

A bill at the South Carolina Statehouse is seeking to give more money directly to at-home health care workers.

Bill H.4464 will be in front of a subcommittee meeting at the capital on Tuesday afternoon, and experts say it seeks to use federal money that’s already been allocated to put more money in the pockets of these essential workers.

Thelma Pabon is a former at-home health care worker, now working for the National Domestic Workers’ Alliance.

She said she would frequently help up to four clients at a time, with little compensation.

“There’s no paid time off. There’s no mileage. There’s no reimbursement for gas or anything, and I had to travel to three to four different areas,” Pabon said. “The money wasn’t a lot of money. It wasn’t enough. It was enough to sustain a family of two. But then, as my family grew, it wasn’t enough.”

The workers’ alliance said as of May 2023, home health and personal care aides in South Carolina earned a median wage of just $13.62. Three years ago, Maria Reyes of the Workers Alliance said the state legislature approved a pay increase to $25 per hour; however, much of that money is kept by providers.                

“We’re not attempting to be the federal government, but we are saying that we know you gave this money in good faith, and it was to go to the workers. So let’s ensure that the workers receive it,” she said.

On Tuesday, South Carolina representatives will hear House Bill 4464, aimed at creating a wage pass-through that would give up to 70% of that compensation directly to caregivers.

“You’re not going to be able get SNAP, you can afford your own groceries. You’re not going to be on Medicaid. You’re not going to be on assistance because you’re making an adequate wage for your family. So this would help everybody. This would lift the state,” Reyes said.

From 2010 to 2020, the National Domestic Workers Alliance says the home health and personal care aide workforce in South Carolina grew by approximately 52%, and by 2032, the state is expected to see 66,500 job openings.

“People are actually leaving this industry to go to Target, leaving this industry to go to McDonald’s because McDonald’s offers benefits and this industry doesn’t,” Reyes said. “I plan on being here forever. I don’t know about y’all, but I plan on being here at least 103, so I need to know that there’ll be somebody here to take care of me.”

That meeting is set to happen on Tuesday afternoon after the house adjourns.