Family Caregiver Pay Rate in Pennsylvania: An Overview

17 Dec Family Caregiver Pay Rate in Pennsylvania: An Overview

Are you a caregiver for a senior loved one? Interested in working for a home care agency as a family caregiver? We help you understand what the family caregiver pay rate is in Pennsylvania. Plus, we help you identify home care agencies that hire family caregivers and detail which agency offers the highest pay both in Philadelphia and across the state of Pennsylvania. Read more to find out which agency guarantees its caregivers $15 per hour!

Many family caregivers are hired under different government programs to provide caregiving support for a loved one, such as a disabled adult, child, or senior in the community. We discuss that in detail in our Pennsylvania guide for getting paid to care for a loved one and family members. 

In a role as crucial as a family caregiver for loved ones, hired employees should get fair and equitable compensation. This can allow them to take care of themselves or their own families. Because of that, we created this article to help you find the family caregiver pay rate in Philadelphia and around Pennsylvania state.

The best home care agencies understand this and value the work of their caregiver employees. However, pay rates for family caregivers can vary quite a bit. We discuss not just the rate that caregivers get paid to care for loved ones, but also what other benefits might be offered as well. 

Who hires family caregivers to care for loved ones?

Businesses that hire family caregivers to pay and compensate family caregivers for their caregiving support are done by home care agencies. Home care registries are the other business that might be approved to hire family caregivers. Chosen Family Home Care is an example of a home care agency that employs paid family caregivers to support loved ones. Plus, they pay $15 an hour!

Are there any employee benefits I should consider besides just the hourly pay rate for caregiving?

Talk to just about any hourly worker and they’ll tell you that there’s more to a job than just a good salary. There are a number of ways that family caregiver can make their quality of life better with a caring organization. Family caregivers should look at home care agencies that offer the following:

Weekly paychecks

Look for employers that offer weekly or biweekly pay to their employees. With weekly paychecks, family caregivers and staff will get a payday each and every week. This means that they have the cash-in-hand they need, when they need it. Reference our guide on home healthcare agencies that offer weekly pay. Plus, some agencies have been known to not pay their employees regularly. This is both unethical and against the law in Pennsylvania. Work with a reputable agency that has a track record of caring for their caregivers and staff members. Chosen Family Home Care is another example of a home care agency providing its staff weekly paychecks. 

Holiday Pay

Holiday pay is an important benefit to caregivers that dedicate their holiday days to providing patient care. Caregivers and home health aides should look for home care agencies that hire family caregivers who offer holiday pay. This means that on designated holidays, the home care agency of the family caregiver pays 1.5 times the regular rate. For example, Chosen Family Home Care offers this benefit on major holidays every year. These days include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July (Independence Day), Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. As an example, if you are making $15 per hour as a family caregiver at the highest paying home health agency, then on holidays you would earn $21.75 an hour!

Healthcare insurance

Few things are as important as good healthcare insurance. Having a great healthcare plan is very important to family caregivers that are hired as home health aides. Family caregivers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania should be sure to check out agencies that offer a robust health insurance plan. It’s the best way for employees to care for themselves while providing care for others. Not only does Chosen Family Home Care provide a healthcare plan, but they even cover up to 100 percent of the healthcare plan premium.

Employee training and development

Don’t underestimate the importance of paid employee training. Some home care agencies provide regular caregiver development and other opportunities for continuing learning. An employer’s training program will speak volumes about the home care agency. This is because the companies that invest in their employees in this way not only show that they are serious about the care they offer but also that they are invested in their staff. All home care agencies must at least meet minimum training requirements for home care agencies as outlined by Pennsylvania state. 

Paid time off and vacations

Family caregivers shouldn’t forget about the importance of paid vacations and time off. When looking at employers, it’s vital to prioritize those with paid time off as a benefit. As an example, Chosen Family Home Care offers up to 5 days paid time off for it’s employees starting on day one of hire. This is a major perk that very few home care agencies offer to their home health aides and caregivers. Although home care agencies and businesses are not required to offer vacation pay in Pennsylvania, look for companies that do offer this benefit.

For paid family caregivers in Philadelphia, the city has its own requirements. For example, employees legally are entitled to one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Caregivers in this case can earn up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year in Philadelphia.

Approved overtime

 If you are working as a caregiver, look into home care agencies that authorize and pay overtime to their employees. Some home care agencies do not authorize overtime. This is because employees make a higher hourly pay rate when they work more than 40 hours a week. This pay rate is 50 percent higher than their normal rate. For example, if someone earns $10 an hour, after 40 hours worked in the same week, an employee is entitled to $15 an hour for hours worked in excess of 40.

Worse still, some home care agencies allow employees to work more than 40 hours per week but do not compensate them at the higher rate. This practice is not only unethical, it is also illegal federally as well as in Pennsylvania state. Also, look at overtime laws that just went into effect on October 3, 2020. Make sure that home healthcare agencies you consider will allow you to work overtime hours, as needed. Plus, make sure that they are paying you the correct overtime caregiver pay amount which is 50 percent higher than your regular pay rate.

Other caregiver perks and benefits

It’s important to consider or to ask about any other perks or benefits that a home care agency may offer. Some examples might include having a retirement plan available, a free occasional lunch, employee discounts, or life insurance. Also, think of the culture a happy and positive workplace can provide for staff. Even if you work in your own home or that of a family member, it’s still an important consideration. Chosen Family Home Care provides many of these perks we have mentioned. The home care agency prides itself on a company culture that is inclusive, supportive, and fun. 

What is the average pay rate for family caregivers?

Across the Philadelphia Pennsylvania region (including the tri-state area nearby parts of Delaware and New Jersey), the average annual salary for HHAs and caregivers is $26,120. Reflected as an hourly rate, that comes to $12.56 per hour in compensation. Caregivers make more in Philadelphia than they do in the state of Pennsylvania or in the United States as a whole. 

Market research in the region shows that most paid family caregivers earn from $10 per hour to $14 per hour in pay. Therefore, the $12.56 per hour average does seem to generally reflect the pay rate that family caregivers will find locally in Philadelphia. As a result, this is what you can expect to earn as a paid family caregiver in and around Philadelphia. 

Across Pennsylvania, pay rates will be slightly lower. This is because pay in Philadelphia is higher than it is across the state. This is common for metropolitan areas to have higher pay rates that more rural areas, including for family caregivers. 

Do any home care agencies pay more than the average pay rate?

Yes. Naturally, there is a range in compensation provided to family caregivers. For example, in another study from payscale.com, they list the top paying home healthcare agencies that provide data. After review, you will find that the top paying home care agency averages $12.15 per hour locally. However, some agencies pay significantly higher rates. 

For example, the highest paying home care agency in Philadelphia offers a $15 hourly rate average guarantee*. Many home care agencies and home health agencies can only pay their caregivers between $10 and $12 per hour. This is because of the limited ability to be profitable. 

This is particularly true with Medicaid waiver patients or those that are getting paid to care for a loved one. However, some Philadelphia home care agencies that pay high have worked to keep their expenses low and also prioritized their caregivers. Really, caregivers and home health aides should be able to find a home health agency that pays at least $13 an hour. This salary guarantee and transparent pay is what makes these home care agencies stand out from the pack.

That’s why Chosen Family Home Care is such a great place to work. They don’t spend money on advertising. The company doesn’t do gimmicks. They just pay their caregivers the most. Not only do they attract and recruit the best caregivers, but this leads to better care. We let our word of mouth do the work for us. Chosen Family Home Care pays its caregivers $15 per hour. 

Is Chosen Family Home Care the highest paying home care agency in Philadelphia at $15 an hour?

There is no other home care agency in the entire region that guarantees all of its caregivers an average of $15 per hour. This is true for caregivers on the Medicaid waiver and family caregivers providing care for a loved one as well.

Chosen Family Home Care across Philadelphia provides great pay to family caregivers

Chosen Family Home Care is one of the top paying home healthcare agencies in all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With a presence in Bucks county, Chester county, Delaware county, Montgomery county, and Philadelphia, Chosen Family Home Care has the ability to benefit caregivers and home health aides alike throughout the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Plus, they serve areas of Reading, Scranton, and Allentown as well. 

As we discussed, Chosen Family Home Care can guarantee that each and every caregiver and home health aide with the company will get paid an average of $15 per hour. This is far above the average compensation for caregivers listed ($12.15 per hour) on payscale.com. This is exactly what makes the company the top paying home care agency in Philadelphia. We don’t stop there though. We provide many other benefits as listed below in addition to being a home care agency that pays high for family caregivers.

With Chosen Family Home Care, you can be happy knowing that you are being paid a fair and equitable wage. Plus, the company recognizes the value of its caregivers and thus has secondary benefits like weekly pay, a caring company culture, and investments in employee training and development which lead to a promising career in the healthcare field. 

Why Work For Chosen Family Home Care on top of getting $15 an hour?

• Every employee will earn an average of $15 per hour. Even if you have no experience, Chosen Family Home Care will make sure that you not only have the tools to be successful but that you will also be paid an average of $15 per hour. 
• A sign on bonus of $500! Inquire within to see if you can join the highest paying agency while getting a sign on bonus of $500 payable within 4 weeks of your first day of hire.
• A $300 referral bonus. Do you know others that might make great family caregivers? Get rewarded for referring them to the organization. Plus, there’s no limit to the amount of referrals you can bring to the organization. 
• Holiday pay. Earn 1.5 times your pay rate on major holidays every year!
• Healthcare insurance. Get healthcare coverage with a company contribution of up to 40 percent for eligible employees!
• Up to 5 paid days off which start accruing on day one. Enjoy valuable time to yourself with paid time off, up to 40 hours per year.
• Flexible schedule. We understand you have commitments outside of your job. Whether you work full or part time, Chosen Family Home Care works diligently to accommodate your schedule. This is true even when you’re the caregiver for a loved one. We can utilize our hired caregiving staff to step in when you need a break.
• Professional growth. We provide paid training monthly to all caregivers and home health aides.
• No Long Commutes. We work to match caregivers with a nearby client as much as possible.
• Weekly pay. No waiting around or wondering when you will get paid as a caregiver with a once a week pay schedule. 

Does Chosen Family Home Care provide caregiver training?

Yes. In addition to being the top paying home healthcare agency in the region, Chosen Family Home Care has a training department that is dedicated to employee development. We work to make sure that family caregivers for their loved ones have all the right training they need to exdel. By providing the right foundation of training for caregivers, they will not only be better in their jobs, but they will also be more satisfied in their caregiver roles. On top of that, clients will receive better home care and patient satisfaction will improve. It’s a situation in which everyone wins, from caregivers and clients to the organization.

Are there any other caregiver requirements?

Yes. All home care agencies will require that caregivers pass a criminal history background check. Plus, they will need to show proof of a negative tuberculosis test result. These are both state regulations that are a requirement of all caregivers and home health aides. Essentially, you’ll find comparable requirements across companies, including the highest paying home care agencies in Philadelphia. This is due to the state and federal regulations that all agencies fall under. 

Chosen Family Home Care helps seniors and disabled adults enjoy their final years in their homes with hands on home care support services. Contact us now to learn more about working at the organization or make the switch to the agency today. 

Further considerations for caregivers and home health aides

Career paths

In addition to finding the top paying home healthcare agency, it’s crucial to think of your future as well. Real life experience shows that caregivers and home health aides can take a variety of career paths as they advance in their careers. On one hand, many caregivers are satisfied and stay in this type of work for years at a time. Others may move from one home healthcare agency to another or go from part-time to full- time work. Finally, many caregivers will attain more specialized experience such as working with special needs patients. 

Many caregivers work in home healthcare while going to school. For people who move into other related careers, the  most typical jobs taken five to ten years after starting work as a caregiver or home health aide include the following:

• Ultrasound techs, with an average salary of $77,219 per year
• Nurses, including both LPNs ($53,050 per year) and RNs ($68,911 per year)
• Medical assistants ($38,660 per year)

Please note that these are just several examples and caregivers can take many different paths within their careers! Read this article with an in-depth analysis of caregiver and HHA career pathways. 

Job outlook

Demand for home healthcare services is projected to skyrocket as the baby boomer population ages. Home health aides and caregivers are actually some of the fast growing professions in the United States. The bureau of labor statistics projects a 34 percent increase in all home health aide and personal care aide jobs in America through 2028, versus only a 5 percent increase in all professions as a whole. Read more about the job growth here in Pennsylvania, reflecting over 37,000 new jobs for caregivers and home health aides across the state in the coming years. By working at the highest paying home care agencies in Philadelphia, you can help to advance your career even further. 

How can I learn more about Chosen Family Home Care or working at the home healthcare agency?

If you want to work for the top paying home care agency  or the top paying home healthcare agency in Philadelphia, look no further. Feel free to reach out to us at 267.457.4122. You can call us or text us directly at our home healthcare agency phone number. Also, you can send us a message through our website. Finally, be sure to follow us and connect with us on both Facebook or Instagram.