Domestic Worker Victory Needs Community Support!
Written by Lindsay Imai-Hong, Hand in Hand. Adapted by Grace Clark, Senior and Disability Action.
Photo credit: Brooke Anderson
Domestic workers hold up signs at Paid Sick Leave rally outside of SF City Hall in October 2021.
Did you know that if you hire for homecare, house cleaning, or childcare in your home, you’re responsible for providing paid sick leave for your employee? In December 2021, San Francisco’s domestic worker community, in partnership with domestic employer groups and allies, passed the Access to Paid Sick Leave for Domestic Workers Ordinance. This ordinance, just the second of its kind in the nation, establishes a portable benefits program for paid sick leave for domestic workers. A 2020 profile found that 70% of SF’s domestic workers do not earn enough to meet their basic living expenses, forcing them to choose between earning money and taking time to rest when sick. Domestic workers are asking employers and allies to sign the “Pledge to Provide Paid Sick Leave” and commit to providing paid sick leave in honor of this ordinance. If you are an employer or ally, sign the pledge here: bit.ly/PledgePaidSickLeave
The majority of San Francisco’s 10,000 domestic workers in San Francisco are immigrant women. These workers are among the most vulnerable in the city. In 2020, half of all domestic workers in San Francisco experienced wage violations. Though entitled to paid sick leave, 72% never receive it. This has been especially devastating during the pandemic when domestic workers reported feeling like they had to choose between their health and a paycheck.
One of the barriers to accessing paid sick leave is the transitory nature of the job and the fact that many domestic workers, especially house cleaners, work for multiple employers for small amounts of time. The new Access to Paid Sick Leave ordinance will address this barrier by providing workers with a centralized account for pooled contributions from multiple employers that will follow them across jobs. The web-based program is expected to launch in 2025.
Domestic workers and employers are trying to get the word out now so that domestic workers don’t have to wait until next year to receive the benefits they are entitled to, and need, now. If you are a domestic employer or ally, sign the “Pledge to Provide Paid Sick Leave” and commit to providing paid sick leave. bit.ly/PledgePaidSickLeave