Jzanus Living Wage

Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman released another in a series of audits today that takes a look at personal care aide agencies that contract with the County and how they comply with the County’s Living Wage Law. The Comptroller’s Living Wage Unit is currently conducting a review of almost all the 35 home health care agencies that contract with the County.

The audit of Jzanus Home Care, Inc. of Floral Park revealed that the personal care aide agency shortchanged 132 of its employees a total of $36,000 by not properly compensating them for days off and underpaying them according to the Living Wage Law, Weitzman said.

Nassau County lawmakers unanimously passed the Living Wage Law in December of 2006, a law aimed at ensuring that employees of Nassau County contractors are earning a decent hourly wage, receiving health benefits or child care benefits or a cash supplement instead of benefits, and 12 paid days off annually.

The Jzanus audit also found that some employees who were working overtime were paid only $10.73 per hour instead of the required $11. According to Comptroller Weitzman, Jzanus representatives agreed that they owe employees for both paid days off time and underpayment of overtime wages and have stated that they will repay the employees what is owed to them by June 2009. Auditors will confirm whether the payments were made when they conduct a follow-up review.

"I am pleased that Jzanus management is supporting the concept of prompt repayment to their employees,” Weitzman said.

The Living Wage Law, which went into effect in 2007, set hourly wages from $9.50 in 2007, gradually increasing to $12.50 in 2010. Currently, the wage is set at $10.50 with health benefits or $12.05 without benefits. At the time the audit was conducted in 2007, the Living Wage was $9.50 per hour and the benefits supplement rate was $1.50 per hour. In addition, the law provides for up to 12 days of paid time off to be provided to eligible employees.

So far, the Comptroller’s office has found 10 agencies that have failed to fully comply with the law and owed employees compensation. (see Comptroller’s website for those reports

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Comptroller/NewsRelease/2008/LivingWageLawCompliance.html)

"The County’s Living Wage Law is meant to provide employees of companies that contract with the County the ability earn a decent wage,” Weitzman said. “We started our Living Wage audits with personal home health care aide contracts because the aides are paid low wages, yet deliver a vital service.”

Weitzman finds Floral Park personal health care provider underpaid employees by $36,000