![]() The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission issued long-awaited initial rules implementing the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, which Governor Murphy signed on February 22, 2021. The Act legalizes the use of recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21 and creates many obstacles for employers seeking to maintain a drug-free workplace. The new rules deal almost exclusively with the provisions governing the recreational cannabis market, leaving many employer questions unanswered.
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![]() More than 120 members of the HCAOA Georgia Chapter met recently to get federal updates from HCAOA, state legislative updates from the Chapter’s advocacy leaders, and information about several issues impacting the home care industry from key state officials. Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler spoke to the Chapter, noting that even though Georgia unemployment rates are the lowest they’ve been since before the pandemic, he is aware of the dire situation as home care agencies struggle to hire caregivers to provide care and services to seniors and people with disabilities in their homes. Local media covered the Commissioner’s visit with the chapter, and interviewed Chapter Legislative Chair Dave Lamb, who stressed just how critical this workforce shortage is because people’s health and safety at home depends on agencies being able to provide care. ![]() AARP released a new poll of registered voters age 50 and older that shows overwhelming support for providing family caregivers with a tax credit aligning with details of the Credit for Caring Act (S. 1670/H.R. 3321). HCAOA needs your support! Click here to send a message to your representatives urging them to sponsor the Credit for Caring Act. ![]() Last week, HCAOA submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in response to the proposed rule regarding increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors. In the letter, HCAOA requested that the Department provide clarity in its Final Rule that certain home care providers providing care to veterans by way of Veterans Care Agreements with the Veterans Administration or Agreements with the entities operating the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VACCN) are exempt from the requirements of the Executive Order, and that any final regulation implementing the Executive Order makes that exemption explicit. ![]() On August 20, 2021, Governor Inslee issued a revised version of his vaccination mandate. The Proclamation had several revisions of which long-term care providers should be aware. The most important revision addresses the vaccination requirements for contractors. Under the newly-revised Proclamation, the operators of Health Care Settings may elect to require the contractor or the actual company employing the contractor to assume responsibility for the vaccination verification and the reasonable accommodation requirements. The revised Proclamation provides a detailed explanation of the steps that must be taken by contractors to satisfy the proof of vaccination requirements for Health Care Settings. In addition, any Health Care Setting electing to require contractors to assume responsibility for vaccination and accommodation retains the right to investigate the contractor’s compliance and to withdraw the election at any time. Last week, HCAOA members joined members of the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice to review recently passed legislation to license home care agencies. More than 100 agencies joined the symposium either in-person or on zoom to hear the main requirements for a license including criminal background checks, scope of services and application requirements. Click here to view the licensure legislation.
![]() Last Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed a $3.5 trillion budget proposal that would potentially increase the pay of home care workers, provide billions of dollars in home- and community-based services, and expand Medicare. HCAOA issued a statement in support of this plan. Executive Director Vicki Hoak, stated, “We are very excited that the Senate has passed a resolution to start drafting the next Human Infrastructure Plan, which hopefully will include several issues that are important to home care organizations as well as to the people we care for including expanding Medicare coverage for vision, dental and hearing.” ![]() Last week, more than 50 members of the HCAOA Florida State Chapter met with Kimberly Smoak, Deputy Secretary, Division of Health Quality Assurance, Agency for Health Care Administration (pictured left), which regulates home care agencies in Florida. During the meeting, Smoak shared details about common deficiencies and was very open to members’ concerns regarding surveyors being confused about non-medical agencies versus medical home health organizations. “We were very appreciative of Ms. Smoak’s openness to emphasize the differences to her surveyors. She had not realized that there was this confusion and looks forward to working with HCAOA members to clarify the differences,” said HCAOA Executive Director, Vicki Hoak. ![]() Several states have recently announced COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care workers, and HCAOA and state chapters are working with state officials to clarify how these mandates impact home care. For example, mandates in Washington, California, and New York do not include home care in some settings, while the order in New Jersey does include home care. Family Caregivers Spend $7,242 Per Year: Support the Credit for Caring Act to Support Them8/18/2021 HCAOA supports the Credit for Caring Act, which would provide a $5,000 federal tax credit to eligible family caregivers. The average family caregiver spends $7,242 each year to care for a loved one, on things like home modifications, home care, and transportation. Lend your name to this important issue with a click of your mouse. HCAOA urges members to reach out to their elected officials to ask for their support of the Credit for Caring Act. Click here to send a pre-written message to your representatives - it only takes a minute!
![]() Mayor Bill Peduto signed a new Temporary COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, which will become Section 626B of the City of Pittsburgh Code. It requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave to full-time employees (and a proportional amount for part-time employees) for certain COVID-19-related reasons. 626B was passed as a new law, but it is nearly identical to Pittsburgh’s original Temporary COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (626A) that was in effect from December 8, 2020, through June 17, 2021. Though new 626B’s text largely mirrors that of 626A, there are some important differences. read more ![]() Last week, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Todd Young introduced the Choose Home Care Act of 2021 - a new bill to support in-home care alternatives to skilled nursing facilities. This legislation would allow for patients receiving skilled nursing or rehabilitation services from their home health provider to also receive meals, non-emergency transportation, remote patient monitoring, and more. ![]() HCAOA, Polsinelli law firm, and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice are teaming up to provide a legal update for the home-based care industry (home health, home care and hospice providers). Join us on August 26 at 12:00 p.m. ET to discuss the latest legislative and regulatory developments, including an update regarding the new OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard and its application to home care providers, Biden’s Executive Order seeking to ban non-compete agreements, and the status of the PRO Act. ![]() President Biden announced new requirements for federal employees and onsite federal contractors regarding vaccination status, masking, and social distancing. All federal employees must either show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or unvaccinated workers must continue to wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and comply with weekly testing. These employees are also subject to travel restrictions. What does this mean for direct care workers contracted with the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network? |
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