Coke v. Long Island Care at Home, Ltd.

# Coke v. Long Island Care at Home, Ltd. ## What Happened Coke worked as a home care companion for Long Island Care at Home, Ltd. and sued the company for wage theft, claiming the company failed to pay proper wages. The case centered on whether home care workers like Coke were entitled to minimum wage and overtime protections under federal labor law. ## What the Court Decided The court sided with the company. The judge ruled that the Department of Labor's regulations allowing "companionship services" to be exempt from wage requirements were valid and legally sound. Because of this exemption, Coke's wage theft claims were dismissed without going to trial. ## Why This Matters for Workers This ruling had significant consequences for home care workers. It meant that many companions caring for elderly or disabled people at home could legally be paid below minimum wage and without overtime pay. This decision narrowed wage protections for a large group of workers, many of them women and immigrant workers in essential care roles.