It was praised as a solution to Florida’s nursing home staffing crisis.

Thanks to a state budget provision, employees of long-term care facilities receiving Medicaid funds would earn $15 an hour minimum wage, starting in October.

But months later, nursing homes and workers’ groups are still arguing over which employees should be paid the higher rate.

The state’s largest health care worker union has accused Florida nursing homes of wage theft, claiming at least 40 facilities statewide are not paying subcontracted staff the mandated rate.

Long-term care facilities, in turn, have said these workers aren’t technically their employees.

The stakes are high. As of this month, nursing home workers who believe they’re being underpaid, in violation of the new rule, can sue their employer for back wages.

Staffing shortfall

At the start of 2022, Florida nursing homes faced a dire staffing shortage.

In January, the industry group Florida Health Care Administration told the Tampa Bay Times that more than 85% of its member nursing homes had to limit new admissions because they didn’t have enough staff.

Lawmakers proposed a possible compromise in the state budget: In exchange for additional Medicaid funding, nursing homes would be required to pay workers a minimum $15 an hour.

Favored by the nursing home industry and worker unions alike, the higher pay was designed to encourage employees to seek out — and stay with — long-term care facilities.

Lawmakers passed the increase to support...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRhbXBhYmF5L...