The Legal Aid Society and Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP have secured a $600,000 settlement from Scharome Cares, Inc., a home health care aide services agency, on behalf of six aides who alleged that the agency had violated their rights under state and federal labor laws, as reported by City Limits.

The aides’ complaint alleged that, for years, the agency, in violation of the law, failed to pay the six aides for all of the hours they worked during multiple 24-hour shifts – even though the agency knew that their patients could not be cared for safely and properly without around-the-clock attention and monitoring, including incontinence care and cleaning throughout the night — and failed to pay them overtime.

While this settlement delivers justice for the six home health care aides who worked night and day to care for their patients, their situation is not unique in the personal care industry.

“I don’t think our clients are any different from basically every other homecare worker who works the 24-hour shifts,” said Carmela Huang, an attorney who represented the aides on behalf of The Legal Aid Society.