Interested in working for a home care agency that offers weekly pay to employees? Look no further than our guide to home care agencies offering weekly pay to caregivers and home health aides in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Plus, get insight on what other ways home care agencies set themselves apart, including with sign on bonuses and with high pay.
Many caregivers and home health aides prioritize home care agencies that offer pay on a weekly basis. That is because no one wants to wait two weeks or more to get their paycheck. Even worse, some home care agencies are inconsistent in how often they offer paychecks to their employees. Some face delays in compensating their caregiving employees. We have seen reports around Philadelphia of caregivers waiting over 4 weeks to get their paychecks.
The best home care agencies understand that this is not acceptable. Plus, they understand that their employees are essential workers and that their jobs are hard. It is crucial to treat staff members as family. They should also value their hard work and contributions to both their clients and to the company as a whole.
What are the employee benefits of weekly payroll?
Talk to just about any hourly worker and they’ll tell you they’re in favor of weekly payroll. This is for good reason! There are a number of ways caregiver employees benefit from a weekly payroll structure in home care agencies, including:
- Frequent paychecks for employees. Having a biweekly or monthly payroll schedule can put a financial strain on employees, including caregivers and home health aides. Getting paid cash-in-hand only once or twice a month can be challenging. With weekly paychecks, caregiving employees get a payday every week. This means that they have the cash-in-hand they need, when they need it. Some home care companies don’t pay their employees regularly or face delayed paychecks. This is in violation of the Department of Labor and Industry in the state of Pennsylvania.
- Consistency. Not only does the frequency of weekly payroll help caregiving employees, but so does the consistency too. Receiving a weekly paycheck ensures that caregiving employees can pay their bills regularly as they come in. It makes it easier to budget less frequent and consistent payroll options (like monthly or bi-weekly).
- Each paycheck received reflects an employee’s work week, including overtime. The hours an hourly caregiver employee works at a home care agency may vary week to week. As a result, the amount they get paid can vary each week. When a caregiver employee works overtime, they want compensation for that extra time worked quickly. With a weekly paycheck schedule, employees get paid in a timely fashion for the time they put into caregiving. This is better than having to wait for future pay dates to collect their overtime pay.
What caregiver and home health aide benefits should I be evaluating besides weekly paycheck schedules?
Weekly paychecks for caregivers is nice, but there is so much more than home health aides should be looking at. There are a number of ways caregivers and HHAs can make their professional and personal lives better with a great home health agency. Prioritize any home healthcare agencies that offer the following:
Great pay
You may have found the best job in the world but if you can’t make ends meet then it’s tough. As a result, be sure to focus your career search on the home care agencies that have the best pay in the industry. As you can see here, average caregiver and home health aide pay is $12.15 an hour. However, top paying agencies can offer much more than this. For example our guide to the top paying home health companies shows that the best in Philadelphia offer an average rate of $15 per hour , such as Chosen Family Home Care.
Sign on bonuses for new caregivers
Increasingly, home care and home health companies are offering a bonus or financial incentive for new employees. This is due to the lack of qualified caregivers in the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area and the high demand for home health aides that exists.
Keep in mind, many home care agencies say they offer a signing bonus. However, many of those aren’t actually sign on bonuses. Some might offer half the bonus up front and other half down the road. Others might only offer this bonus after a period of time, say 90. Plus, other home care agencies may offer this bonus but have a clause that you need to work for the company for a specified period of time. If you don’t you will risk having to pay it back. Luckily, Chosen Family Home Care pays this up front and there are no stipulations.
Ongoing employee training and development
Home healthcare agencies that offer continued employee development and other opportunities to continue learning make the best companies. An employer’s training program will speak volumes about an organization. This is because the companies that invest in their employees in this way show they they are both committed to their success as well as that of their clients.
A healthy caregiver work/life balance
Some home healthcare agencies don’t make an effort to consider the caregiver’s own wants and needs as a person and employee. This means that you should find a home care agency that offers the time for employees to rest and recharge. Caregivers can step up when they need to with varying schedules and demands but they also need a break too.
Paid holiday and time off of work
Employees that care for others and home health aides deserve to be able to take time off. When you inquire at a home care agency or home healthcare company, it’s important to consider home halth care companies that offer paid time off as a benefit. Chosen Family Home Care offers up to 40 hours of paid time off for it’s caregivers starting on day one! This is a great perk for the best home care agencies in Philadelphia to offer.
Medical insurance coverage
Medical and healthcare insurance is a necessity for many caregivers and home health aides. However, some employees forget to take this into consideration when evaluating home care agencies and their benefits provided. For those that need it, be sure to ask your home healthcare employer the following questions:
- What are the insurance plans available and what do they cover?
- When am I eligible to receive medical insurance benefits?
- How much will i have to pay for each available plan per month?
These are all very important questions that potential caregivers and home health aides should be asking. To begin, some home care agencies don’t offer any medical insurance at all. For those that do, the plans available, costs associated, and eligibility period can vary wildly. At Chosen Family Home Care, healthcare insurance is available to its full-time caregivers and employees starting after just 30 days. The best part is, our caregivers working 30 hours or more can pick a healthplan that costs as little as $0! That means the company contributes up to 100 percent of the health plan premium.
Authorized overtime pay
If you are working as a caregiver, consider home care agencies that authorize and pay overtime to their staff. Some home care agencies do not authorize or allow 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. This is set by the US Department of Labor and reinforced by the state of Pennsylvania . For example, if someone earns $10 an hour, after 40 hours worked in the same week, an employee is entitled to $15 a n hour for hours worked in excess of 40.
Worse still, some home health 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. Make sure that home care agencies you consider working with will allow you to work overtime hours as is needed for your clients. Also, make sure that they are paying you the correct overtime caregiver pay amount which is 50 percent higher than your regular pay rate.
