Implement Recommendations Direct Care Worker Stabilization Board
The act implements recommendations made by the direct care workforce stabilization board (board) by:
- Requiring the board to investigate health-care benefits for the direct care workforce;
- Requiring the department of labor and employment (department) to collaborate with the board and other entities to establish a comprehensive "know your rights" training for direct care workers;
- Requiring the department to ensure that the "know your rights" training is available to direct care workers, to allow worker organizations to participate in the training free of charge, and to report direct care worker training completion information to the board; and
- Requiring direct care employers to document each direct care worker's completion of the "know your rights" training.
The act also requires the director of the division of labor standards and statistics (director) in the department to provide compliance assistance to direct care employers and investigate possible violations by the direct care employers. The director is also required to enforce compliance with the requirements in the act.
To implement the board's recommendations, the act also requires the department of health care policy and financing to:
- In collaboration with the board, establish a website and communication platform for direct care workers and develop a direct care worker-specific notice of rights for direct care employers;
- Collaborate with direct care employers to inform direct care workers about the website and communication platform; and
- Allow specified entities access to the contact information of each direct care worker enrolled in the communication platform.
For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $120,105 to the department of health care policy and financing based on an assumption that the department of health care policy and financing will receive certain federal funding. Also for the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $168,459 to the department of labor and employment for use by the division of labor standards and statistics.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)