where someone providing care was treated with an utter lack of care for rights and for her humanity,"
California labor commissioner, Julie Su said,
A state worker recognizes this about an undocumented worker, however family motivated by greed can not or chooses not to recognize even more egregious abuses committed by a Pradaxa poisoned elder who was enduring strokes as a result of the Pradaxa overdose.
California Labor Commissioner Julie Su Awards $138,386 to an undocumented caregiver who worked around-the-lock,16 hr days, 7 days per week for 1 year for less than the legal minimum wage .
SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2015
California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su awarded $138,386 in back pay to a caregiver who worked 16-hour days in San Francisco for less than minimum wage, usually without a day off.
The amount includes minimum wage and severance pay violations, 100% liquidated damages and waiting time penalties.
Francisca Vasquez, a Salvadoran war refugee, was hired by siblings Magdalena Lindvall and Reynaldo Peña Jr. to work as a companion for their elderly parents for $400 a month.
Eventually Vasquez became a housekeeper and then round-the-clock caregiver to their mother for $500 a month. Upon the mother's death, Vasquez was discharged.
"Workers are not always aware of their rights,"
said Christine Baker, Director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
"California labor law protects domestic workers as well as others who work in industries susceptible to wage theft."
The Labor Commissioner's Office, also known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), is a division within DIR.
Because Vasquez filed her claim two years into the three year statute of limitation for minimum wage claims, she could only collect wages on the last year she worked.
"This was an egregious case of worker abuse, where someone providing care was treated with an utter lack of care for her rights and for her humanity," said Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su.
"I am pleased that through the wage claim process, my office was able to help her get some of the hard earned wages she deserved.
This evidences that when workers come forward to file wage claims, they can win some measure of justice."
The Labor Commissioner awarded her $50,008 for wages, $48,209 in liquidated damages, $35,707 in interest, and $4,464 in penalties.
SOURCE California Labor Commissioner
The last decade the number of Californians aged 50 to 64 who care for family in their homes or live in their parents’ homes swelled 67.6% to about 194,000, according to UCLA.
It’s not uncommon for adult children to live with aging parents or Grandparents.
This arrangement most often happens because of health and fiscal issues and the desire for the elder loved one parent to have the highest quality of life and not to end up in a nursing home .
Parent and child or Grandchild come together again in a single home and the child serves as caregiver in their loved ones later years.
Life can change in a heartbeat.
One job loss or a parents illness could reverse our fortunes.
If teardrops were diamonds
how wealthy I’d be.
If heartaches were dollars
I’d purchase the sea.
An ocean of sorrow
is where I now dwell,
dreaming of heaven
while living in hell.
So much betrayal
and poisonous words
No one is listening
I need to be heard.
If you want to judge me
be careful, my friend
you may find yourself
being judged in the end.
You have not walked
the miles I have tread
you have not felt
you'd be better off dead.
Your words are lethal
they cut and they kill.
like a knife in your hand
you stab till I’m still.
You are a murderer-
you made me bleed
not from my veins
from my heart and my need.
I reached out for comfort
but you walked away
Leaving me lifeless-
I can’t make you stay.
There is no solace
on this icy ground,
just hatred and evil
no love to be found.
You shouted your words
and then walked away,
wearing a smile
as you hurt and betray-
one who loved you
true and deep-
the one whose trust
you could not keep.
And tears will fall
like freezing rain-
tender drops of crystal pain.
