Bill > H4236

This bill aims to address the pay disparity between human services workers employed by community-based organizations and direct support workers or other comparable employees in state-operated human services programs. The key provisions are: 1. The bill requires the relevant state agencies (Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and Department of Housing and Community Development) to incrementally increase the reimbursement rates paid to human services providers to reduce the pay disparity by 50% by 2021, 35% by 2022, 20% by 2023, 5% by 2024, and eliminate it completely by 2025. 2. The increases in reimbursement rates must be used to increase the compensation of human services workers. 3. The agencies must collaborate with the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers to provide annual reports on the progress in reducing the pay disparity, the amount of reimbursement rate increases needed, and the implementation of the new rates. The goal is to achieve pay equity between human services workers in the community and those employed directly by the state, helping to strengthen the recruitment and retention of qualified staff in the human services sector.

Health and Social Services

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities (J)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4236