For years, domestic workers across Washington have pushed to correct historic inequities and secure safety, fairness and dignity in the workplace. Now, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights is on its way to the governor’s desk.
House Bill 2355, sponsored by Rep. Brianna Thomas of West Seattle, establishes enforceable labor protections for people who work in private homes as house cleaners, nannies, personal cooks, gardeners and other domestic workers. The legislation defines a domestic worker as anyone paid for four or more hours of domestic work in a private home each month. This includes nannies and other child care providers, home and personal care workers, housekeepers, cooks, gardeners and household managers.
The protections apply whether the worker is paid hourly, salaried or classified as an independent contractor.
“This bill is personal to me. I saw firsthand how my mother, a domestic worker, was treated on the job,” said Thomas. “When the bill failed to advance last year, I saw tears of disappointment on the faces of domestic workers from across the state. This year, those workers can cry tears of joy. I know I will have to fight them back.”
The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights guarantees minimum wage and overtime pay and requires written agreements outlining the terms of employment along with a notice of rights. The bill also requires advance notice of termination, two weeks for most workers and four weeks for live-in workers, or severance pay in lieu of notice.
Additional protections prohibit hostile work environments, harassment and retaliation. The legislation bans confiscation of personal documents and personal effects, restricts invasive surveillance and monitoring in private spaces and prohibits forced arbitration, nondisclosure and noncompete agreements. The bill creates administrative remedies and civil causes of action for violations.
The legislation also establishes civil rights protections by making it an unfair practice under the Washington Law Against Discrimination to discriminate in compensation or termination based on membership in a protected class.
House Bill 2355 passed the House 57 to 39 and later passed the Senate unamended 28 to 20. With final legislative approval, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights now heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
