Statistics On Domestic Workers In New York State

NY Domestic Workers Bill of Rights:
STATISTICS ON DOMESTIC WORK IN NEW YORK STATE

- For more information about domestic work in New York State, check out “Home is Where the Work Is,” a study of New York’s domestic work industry produced by Domestic Workers United and Datacenter.

- Over 200,000 women work as nannies, companions and housekeepers in New York State.

- Domestic workers care for the most important elements of New Yorkers’ lives: their families and homes. Yet, their work is devalued and they are often treated as less than human. Without the labor of domestic workers, many employers could not participate in the workforce, from Wall Street to hospitals.

- Domestic workers work long hours, often upwards of 10 hours per day and sometimes as much as 16 hours per day. The vast majority receive no overtime pay, health insurance, or regular vacations. Many are fired without notice or severance after years of service, without recourse.

Currently, there is no safety net for domestic workers. If a domestic worker should suddenly fall ill or suffer injury, the vast majority will not qualify for existing social safety nets such as unemployment or disability benefits.

- Domestic workers are excluded from labor laws that protect other workers, including protection from discrimination and the right to bargain collectively.

- The protections that do exist for domestic workers in state laws are often not enforced. Employers violate the law knowing that there is little risk of being caught.

- Domestic workers are isolated working inside individual homes, so it is difficult for them to organize collectively to improve working conditions, as is possible in most other industries. In addition, the law does not protect their right to organize.