Immigrants with disabilities and medical conditions, along with two California immigrant-rights groups, have sued the federal government for failing to provide health care and disability accommodations at its 158 immigration detention facilities nationwide. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Government Accountability Office have repeatedly flagged immigration detention contractors’ poor performance in these areas.
Although home health aide is one of the fastest-growing jobs, the position is excluded from federal labor laws and therefore aides are not guaranteed minimum wage, overtime pay, workplace safety protections, injury compensation or collective bargaining rights. However, groups such as the National Domestic Workers Alliance are advocating for policy changes at the city, state and federal levels.
A Delaware employment law expert writes that Gov. Carney is expected to sign into law a bill that prohibits retaliation against people who report violations of the Delaware Equal Accommodations Law, which outlaws discrimination against a number of protected groups including people with disabilities. The bill was crafted to ensure that employee retaliation claims follow a different legal path than other labor complaints due to concerns that employment law was “scattered” and “a universe of unique wrinkles.”
Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester hosted a roundtable discussion about lowering the cost of insulin and other medications. She said some ideas mentioned, such as capping out-of-pocket costs, already have bipartisan support. Currently 85,000 Delawareans have diabetes, almost half of whom are seniors or people with disabilities.
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving recently announced a multi-year agreement with the state of Delaware to bring the Resources Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health program to caregivers in the state. The program will offer caregivers support and training to help manage the stress that comes with providing care for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
