This is just another example of the State attempting to cut costs in areas where services are already next to the bone. PCAs and HHAs receive wages that are mandated by M.A. rules which are, in a word, pitiful when one judges by the responsibilities they have. There are legitimate concerns about fraud in this field, and the fact is that these employers-of-record such as the one mentioned in this article often don't provide the on-sight oversight and RN supervision that they are mandated to provide, but to deny unemployment benefits does nothing to address either of these issues. The appeals court was correct.

Just because you are helping to care for a relative does not mean you are not working a job. It's one thing to help grocery shop once a week but it's another to help with personal care, bathing, going to appt's etc etc.. People that help family members with this are doing a job and deserve benefits. If you think otherwise, go care for a family member 12+ hours a day, tell me how you feel.

Jeffport: most states consider this something people do for their families! Go to another state and see if you get paid for taking care of your family member. We are in the land of 10,000 entitlements! When people who can hardly speak english can say "PCA" or Need more PCA hours" something is wrong.It is not just foreigners it's all races, white, black, blue, green. This is by far one of the most abused system in Minnesota.

@terryglynn, unless they meet the current criteria for additional pca hours, it doesn't matter if that is all they can say in english. They won't get it. There can be abuse in any system. I actually had a pca that I had fired forge my signature on the time card. This forged signature did not look like my signature at all. If they had compared the signatures, they would had seen this.

@Terryglynn - What we as a society must do if we are to believe that "it's a families responsibilty to care for a family member" is to give that caretaker a benefit for giving up his/her life for another person. If we do not, guess who will be caring for that person, Nursing homes, hosptals etc.. They will become more of a financial drain on society than what they currently are. Imagine the dollars that will be spent. I think that you did not think about your comment before posting because if you did, I cannot wait for you to become bedridden, house bound etc.. Then lets ask your spouse, family members how they feel when they give up their lives to care for you. As for abuse of the system, that is a totally different issue then caregiving. That sounds like the wheel is broken not the cog, replace the wheel.

Jeffport, Way ahead of you. I have Long term care insurance for my parents and me.You should look into it. It runs about $300/month and covers for care either at home or in a nursing home. Paid for by me and not the state. No I am not an ins salesman, but just a person who relies on myself to take care of me and not the state. It just like any insurance you buy, you hope you never need to use it. If I don't I've had a great life. If I do need it I am not a burden to my family or society.

This is completely crazy and wrong getting paid by the state to take care of a family member then having the guts to apply for unemployment after the family member dies No a tooth on the gear is not broken the entire system is broken Happier then ever that my home is no longer Minnesota Those of you who have stayed deserve the high tax's and foolish rulings