Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act

Bill: 117-s-2569
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2021-07-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Assault and harassment offenses
Child care and development
Child health
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Criminal justice information and records
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Domestic violence and child abuse
Emergency communications systems
Employee benefits and pensions
Employee hiring
Employee leave
Employment and training programs
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Environmental health
Food assistance and relief
Foreign labor
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Home and outpatient care
Housing supply and affordability
Immigration status and procedures
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor standards
Lawyers and legal services
Medicaid
Medicare
Mental health
Personnel records
Poverty and welfare assistance
Product safety and quality
Right of privacy
Sex offenses
Social security and elderly assistance
State and local finance
Telephone and wireless communication
Transportation costs
Unemployment
Visas and passports
Wages and earnings
Women's employment
Women's health
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-07-29
text: 

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act

 
This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections.
 
Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment.
 
The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events.
 
The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers.
 
The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry.
 
Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-07-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-07-29
text: Introduced in Senate