STATEMENT OF SONIA OSSORIO, PRESIDENT, NOW-NY / September 4, 2019

“The National Organization for Women – New York is proud to stand with home health aides in supporting legislation that will end strenuous 24-hour work days and ensure that the health of these workers is protected and the seniors they care for are getting the best, most attentive care available.  The rights of workers charged with caring for our most vulnerable seniors must be protected.”

“Imagine heading into your job and being forced to work multiple 24-hour shifts.

Imagine being the daughter of an elderly sick parent knowing that the home healthcare aide assigned to your loved one is working 24 hours straight, not getting paid for all those hours, and possibly dealing with too little sleep and extreme fatigue.

This is the reality for many home healthcare aides and the patients they care for.

Home health aides provide essential care for seniors across our city. And they are treated as if their work isn’t important, needed, and at times life-saving.

This isn’t controversial. Ending the forced 24-hour work shift is a workers rights issue that shouldn’t need to be defended at this point in history.

Safe working conditions, a reasonable work schedule, and fair pay are the basic workplace tenets that create a healthy, prosperous and just society.

We call on our New York lawmakers to pass this critical legislation now.

The families of these women workers and the families of those they care for — look to each of you — to uphold the values of New Yorkers and end abusive workplace practices.”

The National Organization for Women – New York (NOW New York) advocates for women and girls across our state by working to defend reproductive rights, fight economic inequality, and end discrimination and violence against women.

For press inquiries call 212.627.9895

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To learn more about this legislation see S.6640 and A.8064