Few US Workers are Worse Off than Domestic Workers

When Congress passed labor protections as part of the New Deal in the 1930s domestic workers were omitted deliberately. This was done as a concession to lawmakers from Southern states, who were invested in keeping wages low for personal, household servants. Domestic workers were also left out of later bills such as the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1970). Domestic workers are therefore not guaranteed a safe workplace to this day. They may be denied overtime or even wages entirely. They have no real protections if their employer sexually harasses them.

Senator Kamala Harris (D-NY) and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) have introduced companion bills in the US Congress backing a Bill of Rights for Domestic Workers. This legislation is backed by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, a group that advocates on behalf of domestic workers. If passed, this bill of rights would protect one of the fastest growing sectors of the US labor force. 

Click the button above to learn more about this bill, including how you can support it. Click this link to find contact information for your Senators and Representatives, and urge them to support the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. 

Forms of Abolition:
Policy Making

Forms of Slavery:
Domestic Servitude