[Sample] County raises minimum pay for publicly funded caregivers to $17 an hour
The fictional Ridgeview County increase takes effect in January and covers about 4,000 workers.
Sample article for testing the newsroom layout. The agencies, people and figures below are fictional.
Ridgeview County commissioners voted 4 to 1 on Tuesday to raise the minimum pay for caregivers paid through county programs to $17 an hour, up from $15.50. The increase takes effect on January 1.
Who is covered
- Caregivers paid through county-funded in-home support programs.
- Agency caregivers serving county clients under contract.
- About 4,000 workers in total, according to the county.
What agencies get
The county will raise its contract rate to agencies by $1.90 an hour to cover the wage increase plus payroll taxes. Agencies say that leaves little room for overtime and training costs.
"The raise is right. The rate barely covers it," said Priya Shah, owner of the fictional Ridgeview Care Partners.
What owners should do
Agencies with county contracts should update payroll rates before the first January pay period and check whether private-pay rates need to move as well, since caregivers compare pay across clients.