Nearly 2 million LTSS direct care workers would get a raise if the minimum wage is $15 in 2025: Direct care workers affected by the Raise the Wage Act in 2025
| Group | Total workforce (thousands) | Number affected (thousands) | Share of group affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| All direct care workers: Nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care aides | 4,649 | 2,166 | 46.6% |
| Direct care workers who provide long-term services and supports | 3,711 | 1,852 | 49.9% |
| …in home care | 2,355 | 1,093 | 46.4% |
| …in nursing and residential care homes | 1,357 | 759 | 55.9% |
Notes: Long-term services and supports (LTSS) are health and social services provided to individuals who need assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, toilet care, shopping, preparing meals, housekeeping, and managing medications. “Home care” includes care workers who work in the “Home health services” or “Individual family services” industries. The affected shares in the “LTSS direct care workers in home care” and “LTSS direct care workers in nursing and residential care homes” subcategories have been scaled for consistency with the broader category “LTSS direct care workers.” See methodology for details.
Sources: Campbell et al. 2021 and Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).