FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women’s Leader Urges Supreme Court to Decide in Favor of Evelyn Coke in Long Island v. Coke And Secure Basic Wage Protections for Home Care Workers

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, DC — April 16, 2007 — "American workers have much at stake in the case being argued today, Long Island v. Evelyn Coke.  In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether to allow the U.S. Department of Labor to make hard-working home care aides second class citizens by denying them basic wage protections, exposing them to excessive overtime and sub-minimum wages. 
 
We urge the Court to uphold the appellate court ruling rejecting the Department of Labor's unfair and flawed interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.  A bad decision here would deny these low-wage workers a fair wage for a fair day's work, leave them vulnerable to unfair labor practices, and make it even harder for them to escape poverty and achieve economic security.  Because the vast majority of home care workers in this country are women -- and women of color -- this case has significant implications for improving women's wages.
 
We strongly urge the Court to do the right thing by ruling in favor of Evelyn Coke."

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

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