Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin released the following statement on legislation introduced to increase wages for long term health care facility workers:
“I support legislation that will enable the state’s application for federal matching funds to provide a wage increase to frontline workers at our state’s long term health care facilities. Increasing the pay of these workers is a smart investment for both our workers and patient safety.
“We have and continue to face one of the most challenging health crisis in a century. The pandemic hit our nursing homes hardest despite the staffs’ best efforts. Ensuring the staff who put themselves at risk every day to take care of others are compensated appropriately for their work is an important step in the revitalization of the long term health care industry.”