Council asks Governor for Salary Reserve

The Providers' Council on Friday sent a letter to Governor Deval Patrick, asking him to include in the FY '11 state budget a salary reserve of $28 million for human services workers making $40,000 and under. The full letter is available here.

The salary reserve would give a small salary adjustment to direct care workers, some of the lowest-paid individuals in the state. In his letter to Governor Patrick, Providers' Council CEO Michael Weekes called direct care workers "the fibers of the safety net which government swears to keep whole." 

"The modest increase workers received for FY 2009 did not annualize, and last year there was no  consideration for them in the state budget," Weekes wrote. "A stable workforce is the best way for the commonwealth to keep its promise to our most vulnerable residents – a promise to provide quality services."

If the Salary Reserve is not in the House W & M budget, the Council is prepared to file an amendment.

For more information about the salary reserve or the Council's ask, please e-mail Michael Ripple or call him at 617-428-3637.