Plan would lift wages of home care workers

Workers in the home health care industry — one of the country’s fastest growing professions — would be guaranteed minimum wage and overtime protections under new rules proposed Thursday by the Obama administration. The move would boost living standards for nearly 2 million employees who help the elderly and disabled with daily tasks such as taking medication, caring for wounds or preparing meals. But some health service companies warned that higher pay could also mean higher costs for clients who can least afford it. "They deserve to be treated fairly," said President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony surrounded by more than a dozen home health care workers.