Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes privatization of Washington's home-care workforce.

Highlights:

• Establishes a consumer directed employer program for in home care services (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes assisted living service employers to do the following (Sec. 2):

• Provide personal care services;

• Intermittent nursing services; and

• Medication administration services.

• Establishes a consumer directed employer as a private entity ( Sec. 2).

• Specifies responsibilities of a consumer directed employer such as the following, including, but not limited to (Sec 2):

• Coordination with consumer;

• Withholding, filing, and paying income and employment taxes;

• Verifying individual provider qualifications; and

• Providing other administrative and employment-related supports.

• Authorizes legal employers and consumer to comemploy individual providers along with responsibility for payment and wage decisions (Sec. 2)

• Authorizes a managing employer that as a consumer comemploys one or more individual providers to have responsibilities such as the following, including (sec. 2):

• Choosing potential individual providers;

• Overseeing day-to-day management and scheduling of individual providers tasks and care; or

• Dismissing the individual provider when desired.

• Defines “functionally disabled” as being functionally dependent on another individual for completing activities related to daily life (Sec. 2).

• Establishes a consumer directed employer program (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits any long term care worker hired prior to January 7, 2012 to lose their exemption from certification requirements (Sec. 5).

• Authorizes the department to deny payment to individual providers who provide services under a contract with the department if they have been notified they are no longer permitted to due to lack of training requirements set forth by the department (Sec. 7).

• Specifies regulations and stipulations behind background checks (Sec. 8).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes privatization of Washington's home-care workforce.

Highlights:

• Establishes a consumer directed employer program for in home care services (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes assisted living service employers to do the following (Sec. 2):

• Provide personal care services;

• Intermittent nursing services; and

• Medication administration services.

• Establishes a consumer directed employer as a private entity ( Sec. 2).

• Specifies responsibilities of a consumer directed employer such as the following, including, but not limited to (Sec 2):

• Coordination with consumer;

• Withholding, filing, and paying income and employment taxes;

• Verifying individual provider qualifications; and

• Providing other administrative and employment-related supports.

• Authorizes legal employers and consumer to comemploy individual providers along with responsibility for payment and wage decisions (Sec. 2)

• Authorizes a managing employer that as a consumer comemploys one or more individual providers to have responsibilities such as the following, including (sec. 2):

• Choosing potential individual providers;

• Overseeing day-to-day management and scheduling of individual providers tasks and care; or

• Dismissing the individual provider when desired.

• Defines “functionally disabled” as being functionally dependent on another individual for completing activities related to daily life (Sec. 2).

• Establishes a consumer directed employer program (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits any long term care worker hired prior to January 7, 2012 to lose their exemption from certification requirements (Sec. 5).

• Authorizes the department to deny payment to individual providers who provide services under a contract with the department if they have been notified they are no longer permitted to due to lack of training requirements set forth by the department (Sec. 7).

• Specifies regulations and stipulations behind background checks (Sec. 8).

Full Bill Text