Department of Social Services

In March, the legislature approved raises for 8,500 unionized personal care assistants through the state’s Medicaid waiver program, but the wage increase leaves private home care agencies struggling to compete — not only for clients but for employees.

The Department of Social Services confirmed that it is “looking into” claims that personal care assistants employed through private non-profit agencies are having union dues deducted from their paychecks without authorization. Karen Hansen of Community Allied Resources, the company which administers paychecks for PCAs paid for by agencies like the DSS, also confirmed that “we have had calls indicating this kind of thing.”