Caretakers Of Disabled Illinois Residents Could Get OT Pay

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois General Assembly approved a measure allowing home health care workers to get overtime pay for work over 40 hours a week.

The 68-42 vote in the House Wednesday would allow disabled people aided by visiting workers to keep familiar faces helping them even if work exceeds 40 hours in a week.

The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. But Rauner cited cost in severely limiting overtime pay this year after a federal rule qualified the workers for time-and-a-half overtime pay.

Advocates say it's meant that disabled people had to find newcomers to finish up a few hours each week — people who are unfamiliar to the clients and hard to find for minimal hours.