The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights reforms New York State law to guarantee basic work standards and protections for the nannies, caregivers, and housekeepers who keep New York families functioning and make all other work possible. The Bill of Rights is a comprehensive response to domestic workers’ vulnerability to abuse and mistreatment, and works to counter domestic workers’ exclusion from most labor protections.

The Bill was signed by Governor Patterson on August 31, 2010, and went into effect on November 29th, 2010.

For more information on the Bill of Rights:

Information on the NEW LEGISLATION

Assembly and Senate sponsors

Statistics on domestic workers in New York State.

Voices of domestic workers; Testimony from the New York State Assembly hearing held November 2008.

Department of Labor Resource Page

The Department of Labor has released this list of Frequently Asked Questions addressing the provision of the Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights granting 3 paid days of rest per-year after one year of work. The Bill of Rights sets historic minimum standards for an industry which previously went unprotected by labor laws. Please note though that this provision of the bill is indeed a minimum standard. Domestic workers, like all other workers, deserve vacation, sick, and personal days. Though these are not yet guaranteed by the law, many domestic workers have an agreement with their employer granting more than 3 paid days off per-year. These agreements should not be affected by the new law, and employers are required to follow any and all agreements they have made with workers.

Click here to read the Department of Labor's FAQ

Learn more about your rights, and what the new Bill means! Check back here for updates on upcoming Know Your Rights trainings.

DWU is a resource and support for workers who have suffered abuse or violations of their rights on the job. We conduct referrals, provide direct advocacy with employers, organize public support and offer legal services for DWU members. We currently represent domestic workers in their cases to win justice for their suffering and have won over $500,000 in unpaid wages for domestic workers since 2000.

Since the passage of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights on Nov. 29th, 2010, now more than ever we must ensure that the rights of domestic workers are respected and protected. To that interest, DWU is working with the Department of Labor to ensure swift justice for cases of abuse and exploitation. We have also established for DWU members a monthly legal clinic in partnership with the Urban Justice Center to quickly assess and address cases, and win justice. For more information, contact the DWU office at (212) 481-5747.

The following are testimonies of domestic workers submitted for the Domestic Workers Human Rights Tribunal, held in New York City, October 8, 2005:

Ms. L: "When the amount of money that my employer owed me accumulated, she started to humiliate me. After a while, she would say that I did not speak English, and that I did not deserve the salary that she was supposed to pay me. Many times around 11:00 o'clock at night, she would wake me up and she would ask me to clean the floor with Clorox Bleach, saying that the house was dirty and that I had to clean it. I had to buy food for me, for her son, and for the dog because she would not give any money for the groceries. With the little money that she randomly paid me, I was able to do that."

Ms. E: "I used to sleep on the floor in the corner of the living room. I was only given 1 blanket, 1 comforter, and 1 pillow. In the summertime, it would get so hot, but I was denied to use the AC because the electricity bill would go up. It wasn't comfortable at all. In the wintertime, it would get so cold. And I would try to sleep with warm clothes because I had one comforter. The conditions were terrifying and humiliating."

Ms. T: "We are verbally assaulted and we have to stay quiet. Often we end up leaving these jobs when we can't take it anymore. What is sad and difficult is that sometimes we are not paid a single penny for the work we've done. In my case, I have had good, considerate employers but in these years I have also experienced difficulties, which I never thought I would have to endure - discrimination because of the color of my skin and for being an immigrant. They've made me sleep in a basement with no heat in the dead of winter. They've denied me food during the time I was living in and also forbid me to bring food for myself from outside. I've also been yelled out to the point where I was becoming sick with depression and nervousness. I left my last job so exhausted and destroyed I could only think of hurling myself in front of passing cars because I was made to feel so bad I wanted to die. I felt worse than a worm after the way they told me how poor I was and that's why I was worth nothing."