Thursday, June 10, 2010

Bill of Rights For Nannies


The New York State Senate passed a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights last week. Once reconciled with the version already approved by the Assembly, would make it the first in the country to require new rights for nannies, housekeepers and other caregivers.

The relationship between employer and nanny is an unusual one, with many opportunities for complications to arise. While the minimum wage does apply to nannies, there are still many standard benefits that they are not guaranteed. The new law would change that, providing 6 paid holidays, seven sick days, 5 vacation days, and requiring a 14-day termination notice or severance pay and limiting the work week to 6 days. It would apply to all domestic workers in the state, documented or undocumented, working on the books or off.

Many parents post questions about how to treat their nannies on sites like Urban Baby. It is evident that many employers are trying to get this relationship right, but have no guidelines. While the Bill of Rights doesn't stipulate wages, it will provide some clarity.

1 comments:

RustyShackleford said...

I agree with the sentiment of this law, including the fact that it applies regardless of immigration status. In theory, this would protect workers, while disincentivizing the hiring of illegal immigrants over people who are here legally.

However, I believe that this law will prove nearly unenforceable in practice.