Tyler Tunison is in his fifth year as a home health care worker. He’s preparing now to feed his client a quick lunch.

"Today, we’re going to be eating a chicken salad sandwich," he said.

Tunison is one of almost 530,000 direct care workers in the state, many of whom are calling on the state legislature to raise their wages.

His client, Keith Gurgui, supports the effort.

"Without personal care aides, I would not be living at home independently, be able to work, have gone to school. I’d be in a nursing home, miserable, depressed," Gurgui said.

Median annual earnings in the state are just over $21,000. While workers receive below minimum wages, the workforce is one of the state’s largest.

What You Need To Know

  • Tyler Tunison is a home health aide, one of 530,000 direct care workers in New York state

  • He's joining colleagues and advocates in calling on the state to raise their wages, which right now are an average of just over $21,000 a year

  • The Fair Pay for Home Care Act that was recently introduced in the state Senate would allow workers to make at least $35,000 a year

  • The bill is now before the health committee.

Tunison says he hopes the cause will receive more attention, "and hopefully get better care and wages for home health care workers and the people they care for."

Gurgui became paralyzed from the neck down after a swimming accident while on a trip to Delaware in 2012, 10 days before he was to start college. The care he receives is round-the-clock, ensuring he is bathed, fed, and comfortable.

Recent studies show that 42 percent of workers live in or near poverty. Meanwhile, the number of jobs in the industry is expected to rise to just over 700,000 by 2028.

Tunison said the job is not an easy one.

"We’re getting him into his sling so he’s ready to be put onto his lift, so we can elevate him up and put him into bed," he said.

He’s done various jobs from retail to clerical work, but this one is most fulfilling.

"Ever since I started, I couldn’t really see myself doing anything else right now. The need for this type of work is so important. I even got a chance to go to the city and take care of my grandparents," he said.

A new bill introduced in the state Senate last week calls for home care workers to receive higher wages, something Tunison says will keep him doing what he loves for a longer time.

"Just to be able to help people. I don’t think there’s anything better than that. Just helping others," he said.

The Fair Pay for Home Care Act would raise wages to 150% of the minimum wage, allowing workers to make at least $35,000 per year. The bill is now before the state health committee.

On Monday afternoon, the state Senate majority passed a budget proposal that would deliver emergency aid to New Yorkers. Included in that is an injection of $624 million that would go toward increasing the wages of home health care workers.