ENFIELD — Home care workers say they are getting paid late and sometimes, not at all.
They showed their strength in numbers Tuesday at a rally. The home care workers marched to Ally Rehabilitation Centers, the payroll agency they claim isn’t paying them on time.
“When the money doesn’t come in on time then we aren’t able to put food on the table so today we are here to tell Allied enough is enough,” said home caregiver Lynnette Dockery.
About 100 home care workers rallied outside of Allied Community Services, the parent company of Allied Community Resources.
They are the payroll agency being blamed for late and non payment.
Rob Baril, the President of the Healthcare Workers Union said, “We need to make sure that Allied is answering and ultimately that the state of Connecticut is directing Allied Community Resources to get their act together.”
Allied didn’t walk to talk to FOX61 on camera but in a statement said, “Allied Community Resources is contracted to provide Financial Management Services.”
The employer is technically the patient. Will Vees, a patient from South Windsor told FOX61 they have sometimes loaned struggling caregivers money.
“We’ve had to loan them money to help them pay their bills,” said Vees.
“They help me get dressed and shower and eat and everything that you take for granted,” added Vees.
Caregivers say they spend hours on the phone trying to track down their paychecks and can’t pay the rent, out food on the table or get medicine. But they don’t let it affect their work.
Home caregiver Kaarlene Whonder said, “You still have to give that care. I can’t leave my patient and go home knowing that I haven’t done my best.”
The home care workers are employed through Medicaid waiver services.
While their patients are technically their boss, the money doesn’t come from them. It’s state money that passes through DSS and then to Allied, who is responsible for administering the payment. Rep. Brandon McGee, (D) Hartford, Windsor said, “We want to make sure many of our vendors are paying employees on time. They get their check on time from the state.”
Rep. McGee told FOX61 that Allied Rehabilitation Centers gets about $6 million annually from the state and he thinks this is an issue that could result in legislation for the upcoming session.