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November 29, 2012

First Survey of U.S. Domestic Workers Reveals Low Pay, Abusive Conditions 
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The first-ever national survey of domestic workers in the United States
has revealed substandard working conditions faced by a largely female
workforce that goes almost entirely unprotected by labor laws. According
to a survey of more than two thousand nannies, caregivers and
housecleaners, nearly a quarter of U.S. domestic workers are paid less
than the state minimum wage. The survey found particularly dire rates
for live-in workers, who make a median hourly wage of $6.15. Domestic
workers receive almost no benefits, with only 4 percent getting
employer-provided insurance. Many also reported being forced to silently
endure verbal and even physical abuse out of fear of being fired or
reported to immigration authorities if they complained.

 

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