Pull Up Your Chair

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule effective July 1, 2024. Standard salary rises to $844 per week ($43,888 yearly), then to $1,128 per week ($58,656 yearly) on January 1, 2025. Every three years thereafter, updates occur. Employees must meet salary and duties criteria to be exempt. Highly Compensated Employees' minimum salary threshold increases to $132,964 on July 1, 2024, and $151,164 on January 1, 2025. No changes to duties tests. Legal challenges may arise, but employers should prepare for the new rule by July 1, 2024. For more information about the final rule, review the FAQs. You can also tune in to SBAM’s Small Business Briefing from Thursday, April 25th, for a thorough discussion on what you need to understand and how to move forward.

As part of Care Workers Recognition Month and an executive order aimed at improving access to quality care, the Biden-Harris Administration has partnered with 20 states to strengthen the direct care workforce. Through the Administration for Community Living's Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Strategies Center, states will receive technical assistance to enhance recruitment, training, and retention of home and community-based service providers for older adults and people with disabilities. Intensive assistance will be provided to six states (Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, New Jersey, and New Mexico), while 14 others will participate in collaborative programs to share strategies and best practices. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) also released recommendations to improve data infrastructure to support policy development for the direct care workforce. Additionally, an advisory committee comprising stakeholders from the direct care community has been formed to guide the center's efforts. Learn more in the HHS News Release.

Sign on to the Direct Care Wage Coalition Action Alert here.

Michigan's correctional facilities are utilizing a Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program to provide substance use disorder (SUD) care to inmates, aiding their reintegration into society. DHHS awarded HMA a three-year contract to administer technical assistance to 24 county jails for MOUD program implementation or expansion. Focus is on high-need populations, addressing overdose disparities, particularly among Black residents. Funded by opioid settlement dollars, the project aims to reduce overdose risks during and after incarceration by enhancing MOUD program accessibility. Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller highlights SUD treatment implementation, catering to inmates with SUD or mental health disorders. Read the full story here.

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If you have an event you want to share, please get in touch with Daniel Cherrin.