ST. PAUL – Personal care assistant (PCA) workers in Minnesota will see higher wages and other new benefits this month. The statewide minimum wage for PCAs rises from $13.25 to $14.40 per hour effective Oct. 1, then increases again to $15.25 on July 1, 2022.

The pay increase is the result of an agreement reached during the 2021 legislative session between the state and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which was recently granted federal approval.

The agreement will help address a variety of challenges facing PCAs and the organizations that manage their work, challenges which have led to a PCA workforce shortage.

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In addition to the pay increase, changes include:

  • One hour of paid time off for every 30 hours an individual provider works;
  • An increase in the number of paid holidays from five to seven; and
  • Funding for the Minnesota Department of Human Services to continue working with SEIU on voluntary training opportunities.

The agreement also increases budgets for Minnesotans who participate in the consumer-directed community supports a program that enables them to design the services and supports that fit their needs and hire their own PCAs and for the Consumer Support Grant program, which is an alternative to Medical Assistance for some Minnesota residents.

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