Worcester Homecare Workers To Picket Over Unpaid Wages

WORCESTER, MA — Local home care workers will host an informational picket outside Prestige Health Care Services in Worcester. The employees say they are protesting unpaid wages and ownership mismanagement. The protest will happen at noon on Friday, July 12.

In recent months, employees have complained of bounced checks, unpaid wages and other wage-related issues while working for Prestige Health Care Services. Workers have also filed a wage and hour violation with Attorney General Maura Healey’s office – the second time in three years workers have filed such a complaint.

The unpaid wages for workers comes as compensation for Prestige President Isdory Lyamuya has soared by nearly 200 percent in recent years. Lyamuya made $135,000 in 2016 and more than $400,000 in 2018.

Earlier this year Prestige filed for corporate bankruptcy. In the filing, Prestige noted that its assets were between $0 and $50,000, while its liabilities were between $1,000,001 and $10 million. Employees are pointing to the filing as a sign of corporate mismanagement. During the picket, workers will call on Prestige to pay wages in a timely and fair manner, and urge additional oversight of the homecare industry to ensure the practice doesn't repeat itself.

Workers are also calling for the passage of An Act to Improve Massachusetts Home Care, which would establish new regulations and improved oversight over the state’s homecare agencies.

Prestige employees are being supported in their efforts by Healthcare Workers Rising – an initiative to strengthen the healthcare industry, especially home care, so that it can train workers and pay them fairly, slow burnout and turnover, and enhance quality care.