State Rep. Ann Bollin raised strong concerns about the impact of Senate Bills 790 and 791, signed into law by the governor today. The new laws classify caregivers under Michigan’s Home Help Program as public employees for collective bargaining purposes, requiring them to attend union orientations within 45 days and strongly encouraging union membership.

“Michigan families rely on the flexibility of the current system to provide the best care for their loved ones,” said Bollin, R-Brighton Township. “These laws create new layers of complexity, placing unnecessary burdens on caregivers and families who are already juggling the demands of care and financial strain. By pushing caregivers toward union membership, we risk losing the individualized, compassionate care that people depend on.”

Michigan’s Home Help Program provides Medicaid-funded personal care services for elderly and disabled individuals. Many families hire their own caregivers, including relatives, to provide the specific care their loved ones need. Bollin pointed out that under the new legislation, caregivers will now be required to participate in union activities, a step that could drive some away from caregiving at a time when there’s already a shortage of care professionals.

“We’re facing a shortage of caregivers in Michigan, and these bills would make it worse,” Bollin said. “Forcing union orientations and encouraging membership could lead to workers leaving the field entirely. This change doesn’t just affect professional caregivers — it also impacts family members who step up to care for their relatives. We should be focused on helping caregivers, not making their jobs harder and skimming money out of their paychecks for union bosses.”

Similar efforts to unionize caregivers were rejected by Michigan voters in 2012, when a ballot measure was defeated by a wide margin.

“The people of Michigan already spoke on this issue,” Bollin said. “We need to respect that decision and support policies that offer choice and flexibility to families, instead of reviving failed ideas from the past.”

Senate Bills 790 and 791 passed the Legislature along partisan lines, with Republicans and organizations like the AARP expressing their opposition.

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