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Proposed ‘bill of rights’ would offer labor protections to WA nannies, housekeepers and gardeners

By Simone Carter, The News Tribune
Published: January 21, 2025, 7:07am

TACOMA — Domestic workers in Washington could soon see new, comprehensive labor protections if a bill in the state Legislature gets the green light.

State Sen. Rebecca Saldaña sponsored the bill, also called the domestic workers’ bill of rights, which received a hearing Monday in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee. The Seattle Democrat noted the significance of the timing in a news release: Jan. 20 was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a holiday commemorating the man who worked tirelessly for racial and economic justice.

Senate Bill 5023 seeks to resolve longstanding discriminatory labor policies. Advocates note that nannies, housekeepers, gardeners and caregivers offer crucial support to families and help keep homes running.

Washington is home to more than 100,000 domestic workers, according to the state’s chapter of Hand in Hand, a national network of domestic employers. Hand in Hand and domestic employees worked to pass a similar bill of rights in Seattle in 2018.

Saldaña, who chairs the committee, called it an honor to bring the state legislation forward.

“For too long, the work of domestic workers — mostly women, immigrants, and people of color — has been undervalued and excluded from the labor standards that ensure fair wages, workplace dignity, and protections from discrimination,” she said in a news release. “This bill is a step toward correcting that injustice.”

The bill would require those who employ domestic workers to offer overtime pay, pay minimum wage and provide breaks for rest and meals. It would also safeguard employees against retaliation and discrimination.

Employers would have to give two weeks’ notice for termination, or a four-week notice for workers who also live in the home. In addition, the legislation would allow the Department of Labor and Industries to investigate complaints made by domestic workers and would mandate transparency about the terms and conditions of employment.

Employers would be required to let their employees keep their immigration documents and passports. They would also be barred from reporting on their workers’ suspected immigration status.

Danielle Alvarado with the Fair Work Center said during Monday’s hearing that domestic work fuels the economy, yet such employees are denied the same rights as workers in other industries. She said domestic workers have no recourse when they experience harassment, sickness and wage theft.

The bill would offer a safety net for those injured on the job and protect against discrimination, she said.

“All of these protections are things that we take for granted for every other workforce,” Alvarado said. “Time and again, workers have told us that lack of clarity in the law leaves them reliant on the good will of their employer to be treated fairly. We can and must do better. This bill is an opportunity to do just that.”

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Saldaña announced her 2025 priorities in a Dec. 6 news release, saying that she would seek to expand workers’ representation and rights.

“Every worker, from domestic workers to independent contractors, deserves protections that reflect the realities of their work,” she said. “I will work to ensure all workers have the rights and representation they need to succeed.”

Washington is home to more than 100,000 domestic workers, according to the state’s chapter of Hand in Hand, a national network of domestic employers. Hand in Hand and domestic employees worked to pass a similar bill of rights in Seattle in 2018.

The nonprofit Working Washington has posted in support of Saldaña’s proposal, writing on Instagram Jan. 18 that domestic work “makes all other work possible.”

“Yet domestic workers — the nannies, homecare workers, house cleaners, gardeners — who make up this industry are legally excluded from essential workplace rights and protections, like minimum wage and sick time,” the organization continued. “That’s why workers are leading the fight for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, establishing the protections that we have been left out of for too long.”

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