NY Home Care Workers Resume Hunger Strike Over 24-Hour Shifts as Bill Stalls 10 Votes Short
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 18
NY Home Care Workers Resume Hunger Strike Over 24-Hour Shifts as Bill Stalls 10 Votes Short
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 18
New York home care workers said they will launch another hunger strike after the City Council failed to schedule a promised May vote on the No More 24 Act.
Under current law, agencies can assign 24-hour live-in shifts but pay for only 13 hours; the bill would split those cases into two 12-hour shifts, cap weekly hours at 56 and fine retaliation.
16 council members back the measure, leaving it 10 votes short of passage, while disability advocates warn the change could require twice as many workers per household in an already tight labor supply.
Workers say the system drives exhaustion, injury and wage theft in a $13 billion New York industry built largely on immigrant women, with some agencies accused of threatening jobs and withholding health coverage.
Amid worker strikes and state funding threats, what is the true cost of New York's 24-hour home care model?
As NYC home care workers risk their health on hunger strike, can the system be fixed before it completely breaks?
NYC’s "No More 24 Act" in Limbo: The Battle Over 24-Hour Home Care Shifts, Worker Rights, and Medicaid Underfunding
Overview
As of May 2026, the 'No More 24 Act' remains stalled in the City Council, despite strong support from Speaker Julie Menin and ongoing advocacy by home care workers. The bill aims to end the outdated 24-hour workday, which forces workers—often immigrant women—to work long hours but only be paid for 13, leading to wage theft and health problems. While workers push for reform, opposition from disability advocates and patient groups centers on Medicaid funding; without proper support for split shifts, patients risk losing essential care and facing institutionalization. The debate highlights deep divisions and the urgent need for comprehensive home care reform.