Milford chronicle., 1957-05-10
Social Security For
Household Workers
by MyrOn MilbOuer
(Manager of the Wilmington Social
Security Office


People who work in private
households, inside or out and run
ming the gamut from upstairs maid
to chauffeurs, have been covered by
social security since 1850. For the
first four years the number of do
mestic employees who were able
to build old-age and survivors in
surance protection for themselves
and their dependents was restricted
by a regularity test then
in the law. Beginning with 1855, an
employee in a household is covered
if he or she is paid as much as
$50 cash wages in a calendar
quarter of the year for household
work performed in the employers
private home.
The recent amendments to the
social security Law contain no pro-
visions specifically directed to
household employees. However,
these workers, in common with all
other employees and their employ
ers, are affected by the increase in
the social security tax. This tax,
beginning with January 1857 is
"a per cent each for employee and
employer Women household en-
plOyees, moreover, can now choose
to retire at any time after reaching
age 50. Like other insured women
workers, their old-age benefit pay
ments will be permantly reduced
if they elect to apply for them be-
fore reaching age 65.
Many household employees and
employers have questions about
their rights and obligations under
the social security law. Here are
some of the questions most fire.
quently asked, and the answers to
those questions being given in the
Wilmington social security district
Office.
An employer says: II have just
received a copy of the Household
Employers Social Security Tax
Guide. On the inside of the back
cover are copies of receipts l am
instructed to give to my household
employee. There is a blank in
which / am asked to fill in the a
mount of the social security tax
l withhold from my employees cash
wages. Now, l pay the whole
amount of the social security tax
my share and my employees share
What do / write in this space?"
ANSWER: Write None. While
household employees, like en-
ployees in other kinds of work are
expected to have their share of
the social security tax deducted
from their wages, the law does not
specify that you must withhold it.
If you wish to assume the entire
amount of the tax, that is your
privilege.
QUESTION: pay my cleaning
woman $3.50 a day for one days
work each week She told me she
didn't want to be under social Sc
curity, so I didn't pay the social
security tax. Now she's changed
her mind because a friend of hers
who works two days a week for
a family is getting benefits and
she'd like to get the monthly pay
ments too. Is there anything / can
do about it now?
ANSWER and as a matter
of fact you are required to pay
the tax cher share and yours) and
make the reports regardless of
whether the employee wishes to
come under the law. You should
ask the Internal Revenue Office
for a report form; fill it out and
return it together with the tax
as soon AS possible.
QUESTION: am a hOusekeeper
in a small rooming house. The
owner doesn't pay any social Sc
curity tax because I receive only
my room and board and no cash
wages. Can l ever qualify for So
cial security doing this kind Of
work?
ANSWER Yes. Since your work
is in convection with business.
your employer must report the
value OF yoir room and board and
pay sOcisI security tax on it. If
you work ed as a domestic in ?
private household, cash wages Onlv
would be reported. However, in the
case of work for a business such
as a rooming house. hotel or motel
all W ges are reported, including
board and room.