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Over 90% of Domestic Workers in the Dominican Republic Remain in Informal Employment Despite Government Efforts

BTN News: The domestic employment sector has seen a fluctuating but overall upward trend, reaching a peak of 260,620 workers in 2019. Yet, despite this growth, over 90% of these workers remain in the informal sector, lacking basic employment rights and protections. In 2022, the government attempted to address this widespread informality with a resolution from the Ministry of Labor, aiming to formalize this essential sector. However, this resolution was later declared unconstitutional, and the Ministry has yet to clarify its next steps toward fulfilling its commitment to international labor standards. As a result, the majority of domestic workers, who constitute 5% of the economically active population and are predominantly women with low educational attainment, continue to work without formal contracts, social security benefits, or legal protections.

As of the first quarter of 2024, the number of individuals engaged in domestic tasks such as cleaning, gardening, driving, and child care was recorded at 248,514 out of a total labor force of 4,941,183. Despite government efforts to encourage formal employment, only 15,473 domestic workers were enrolled in the Dominican Social Security System (SDSS) by March of this year, enjoying benefits like health insurance, pension savings, and protection against occupational hazards. The remaining 93.77% continue to work informally, highlighting the persistent challenge of integrating this vital workforce into the formal economy.

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The story of Rosanni Pineda, a young mother who works as a nanny and house cleaner in the city, exemplifies the challenges faced by domestic workers. Pineda did not complete her education and now finds herself relying on domestic work to support her two young children. She describes her job as demanding but necessary, given her limited options. Despite the difficulties, her employers have shown some support by helping her pursue her studies and assisting with medical expenses. However, Pineda and her children are still reliant on the subsidized National Health Insurance (Senasa), underscoring the precarious nature of her employment.

The situation for domestic workers has not improved significantly, as evidenced by data from the National Workforce Survey (ENFT) conducted by the Central Bank. The survey revealed a 2.29% increase in informality within the domestic sector during the third quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2023. The Ministry of Labor has yet to announce its plans following the suspension of efforts to regulate domestic work, which were halted nearly a year ago after the Constitutional Court’s ruling in June 2023. This ruling declared the Ministry’s Resolution 14-2022 unconstitutional, stalling the government’s attempts to formalize this labor sector and extend the rights and protections enjoyed by formal sector employees to domestic workers.

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In the aftermath of this legal setback, the only remnant of the government’s failed regulation attempt is the 16-page Guide to the Formalization of Domestic Work, still available on the Ministry of Labor’s website. This document outlines the intended regulations that the government sought to implement two years ago, but it remains unclear what alternative measures will be pursued to achieve the formalization of domestic employment.

One of the critical issues in this sector is the difficulty in determining average wages for domestic workers, as payments vary widely based on the employer’s financial situation and the specific duties performed by the employee. Some job placement websites list monthly salaries ranging from 14,000 to 24,000 pesos, depending on the job’s nature and the employer’s ability to pay. In some instances, these offers exceed the Ministry’s proposed minimum wage of 10,000 pesos per month for a full eight-hour workday. For comparison, the minimum wage in the non-sectorized private sector currently stands at 25,116 pesos for large companies, 23,023 for medium-sized companies, 15,428 for small businesses, and 14,232 pesos for microenterprises, which make up 85.9% of the national business landscape.

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The challenge of formalizing domestic employment remains a significant hurdle for the Dominican government. Despite the clear need to extend legal protections and social benefits to this vulnerable workforce, progress has been slow, and most domestic workers continue to operate in an informal, unprotected environment. The government’s next steps will be crucial in determining whether these essential workers can finally gain the rights and security that have long eluded them.

Bright Times News Desk
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