California lawmakers propose $25 minimum wage for health care workers

Feb 16, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

State lawmakers in California are trying to raise the minimum wage for health care workers from the state’s $15.50 minimum wage up to $25 an hour. A state senator from California is introducing a bill that would require health facilities, from hospitals and nursing homes to dialysis clinics, to pay their employees a minimum of $25 an hour. It’s a significant hike that would impact not only nursing staff, but housekeepers, security guards, food workers and laundry providers as well.

If the bill is passed and California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs it into law, approximately 1.5 million people would get a wage hike come January of next year. That’s according to a health care workers’ union.

It’s not the first time the state has tried pushing such a proposal. But like last attempt, the wage hike is expected to gain major opposition from hospitals. The health system has previously warned such a wage increase would raise hospital costs. Those costs could potentially past the amount the state-funded insurance Medi-Cal could afford.

Health care facilities could also cut workers from their payroll at a time industry employees are already complaining of being understaffed. Proponents of the wage increase proposal say the industry as a whole is underpaying its staff that proved to be critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tags: California, COVID-19, Gavin Newsom, Minimum wage, Unions

KARAH RUCKER: STATE LAWMAKERS IN CALIFORNIA ARE TRYING TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS FROM THE STATE’S 15.50 MINIMUM WAGE – UP TO 25 DOLLARS AN HOUR.

A STATE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA IS INTRODUCING THE BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE HEALTH FACILITIES – FROM HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, TO DIALYSIS CLINICS – TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES A MINIMUM OF 25 DOLLARS AN HOUR. A SIGNIFICANT HIKE THAT WOULD IMPACT NOT ONLY YOUR NURSING STAFF, BUT EVEN DOWN TO THE HOUSEKEEPERS, SECURITY GUARDS, FOOD WORKERS, AND LAUNDRY PROVIDERS.

IF THE BILL IS PASSED AND CALIFORNIA’S GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNS IT INTO LAW — APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE WOULD GET A WAGE HIKE COME JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR — ACCORDING TO A HEALTHCARE WORKERS’ UNION.

IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME THE STATE HAS TRIED PUSHING SUCH A PROPOSAL. AND JUST LIKE LAST GO AROUND –
THE WAGE HIKE IS EXPECTED TO GAIN MAJOR OPPOSITION FROM HOSPITALS. THE HEALTH SYSTEM HAS PREVIOUSLY WARNED SUCH A WAGE INCREASE WOULD RAISE HOSPITAL COSTS – POTENTIALLY PAST THE AMOUNT THE STATE-FUNDED INSURANCE “MEDI-CAL” COULD AFFORD.

HEALTHCARE FACILITIES COULD ALSO CUT WORKERS FROM THEIR PAYROLL – AT A TIME INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES ARE ALREADY COMPLAINING OF BEING UNDER-STAFFED. BUT PROPONENTS OF THE WAGE INCREASE PROPOSAL – SAY THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS UNDERPAYING ITS STAFF THAT PROVED TO BE CRITICAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.