Women and home care

Home care jobs are among the fastest growing jobs in the country, but they’re also among the lowest paid. The median annual wage for home care workers is just $13,000 a year.

They pay so little that they relegate workers—especially women workers—to living in poverty, fueling inequality.

Black and Latina women bear the brunt of home care’s low wages. The home care workforce is 89% women, 28% African American, and 18% Latino. Raising wages in home care means raising 1.7 million women out of poverty.

Home care plays a crucial role in the nation’s economic future. It is far from the only low-paying sector of the American economy, but its role is significant because it is one of the top employers of women and because it is projected to continue growing.

It doesn’t have to be this way. If home care workers earned $15 and had the protection of a union, women would be able to work their way out of poverty.

That’s why home care workers are joining the growing movement for $15 an hour and a union. It’s a wage that will allow them to cover their basic needs and help lift our entire economy.