Wages and Benefits
Low wages contribute to the challenges of recruiting and retaining Direct Care Workers. Wages have lagged for the past several years despite the high demand for this segment of the workforce.
While many Direct Care Workers stay in the field because of the rewards of their work, many are leaving in search of better paying jobs that are not as physically and mentally demanding. Many Direct Care Workers rely on worker supports offered through the State that enable them to work. In the last survey of Direct Care Workers conducted by Iowa Workforce Development over 50% had children enrolled in HAWK-I, the children’s health insurance program, and 10% of Direct Care Workers had no health care coverage. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and childcare subsidies are also vital for many who work in direct care.
“I worked two jobs for 12 years in order to work full-time in the job I loved the most...direct care”
Join us in fighting for an increase in wages and other supports for Direct Care Workers!
Direct Care Worker Wage Issue Brief (2023)
DCW Wage Issue Brief (electronic version)
DCW Wage Issue Brief (print version)
Other Resources: Iowa Workforce Development Labor Market Information PowerPoint and Direct Care Worker Job Vacancies:
2019 Direct Care Worker Wage and Benefit Survey & Executive Summary
Iowa CareGivers Releases 2019 Direct Care Worker Wage and Benefit Survey & Executive Summary With Key Findings and Recommendations.
View Executive Summary, Key Findings and Recommendations of the Direct Care Workers of Iowa 2019 Wage and Benefit Survey (electronic version)
View Executive Summary (printable version)
Direct Care Worker Wages Down When Factoring Cost of Living! Occupational Wage Report (2017)
A "Point in Time" survey conducted by Iowa Workforce Development for Iowa CareGivers revealed (2016)
287 of 319 Health and Long-Term Care/Service Employers reported a total of 1,826 vacancies for direct care positions.
539 expected direct care position retirements in the next year.
There are over 40,000 working in the occupational titles: certified nursing assistant, personal care aide, and home health aide.
(A Direct Care Workforce Initiative committee of Iowa Departments of Workforce Development, Inspections and Appeals, Human Services, Public Health, Education, and Aging, and Iowa CareGivers, and others estimated another 20,000-25,000 working under other titles or titles not yet recognized by Department of Labor such as consumer directed attendant care workers, private duty, psychiatric aides, and others serving individuals with disabilities)
Average Wages for Entry Level to Experienced Direct Care Positions:
Certified Nursing Assistants: $10.00-$13.22/HR
Home Health Aides: $9.23-$11.74/HR
Personal Care Aides: $9.01-11.63/HR
Resources:
Direct Care Worker Wages and Benefits Additional Reports
Health Care for Direct Care Workers (2006)
Health care coverage is not an academic issue or an abstract public policy debate. It’s a subject that deeply affects real people in Iowa; your friends, employers, co-workers, neighbors, and relatives. Approximately 275,000 Iowans have no health insurance coverage. Thousands more have inadequate coverage—coverage that they pay too much for or get too little from.
Read about the Real Stories of Health Care Coverage of 5 direct care workers.