Oklahoma Caregivers Deserve Wage Increase, State Policymakers Say
January 31, 2013
Oklahoma lawmakers said that wage increases for direct support workers and other caregivers will be one of the top priorities of the state Department of Human Services (DHS).
During a joint House and Senate budget committee hearing on January 22, State Rep. Jason Nelson (R) announced a plan to introduce merit-based pay raises for workers who care for people with developmental disabilities, as well as those who care for abused or neglected children.
“The lack of a pay raise for the last six years is really hurting the ability of the [DHS] to hire and retain the kind of people we need to do these really difficult jobs,” said Nelson, the head of the House budget panel.
