Care and Justice: Organizing for Women’s Rights by Hand in Hand

Here at Hometown Nannies Plus, we wanted to share this vital and timely information presented by Hand in Hand, The Domestic Employers Network in a recent email. We’ve shared the content below for our audience! Contact us today for all of your household staffing needs and more.

—————————————

Here are just a few highlights of campaigns and recent wins across the country that are changing the lives of women.

New Jersey
After three years of campaigning, legislative visits, and fierce advocacy by domestic workers, employers, and allies, we won a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in New Jersey. Over 50,000 domestic workers now have rights across the state. Some highlights from this legislation include:
Paid breaks and meal times
Mandatory written agreements between domestic workers and employers
Protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
Advance notice of termination and other protections for live-in workers, such as privacy rules and anti-trafficking safeguard
Provisions to educate workers and employers about the new law

Philadelphia
In 2019, Hand in Hand helped to pass the Philadelphia Domestic Worker Bill of Rights. While the legislation provides some of the best protections for domestic workers in the country, those laws remain largely unenforced. Hand in Hand is looking forward to mobilizing employers this spring to increase funding to the Office of Worker Protections — expanding the city’s capacity for enforcement.

Washington
In Washington we are working with the Seattle Domestic Worker Coalition, and the Domestic Workers Standards Board, to ensure that all domestic workers have access to paid time off. We continue our grassroots work to educate employers throughout the city about the rights of domestic workers neighborhood by neighborhood – this year we are launching a door to door peer education campaign. Statewide, we are mobilizing home care employers to join the We Care for WA Cares coalition to support and defend our groundbreaking long-term care benefit for Washingtonians.
A group of people both standing and sitting in wheelchair, in front of a building Holding ”We Care for WA CARES” posters, while wearing purple shirts.

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Sample Contracts
Last December, the Department of Labor released sample contracts for Domestic Workers and Employers. Hand in Hand was thrilled to be part of the process alongside our partners at NDWA— providing advice and recommendations in the creation of the agreements. Hand in Hand continues to be in conversations with the DOL about how to ensure these contracts reach employers across the country. Stay tuned for updates!

In our work, we are organizing a multiracial and cross-class community of employers to bring care and justice to our economy. The change we are looking to make is truly transformative for the lives of domestic workers and caregivers, who are overwhelmingly immigrants and women of color.