
by Dr. Arcelita Imasa
Can you explain to me who are the domestic workers?
– Reader
Dear Reader,
It is said that caregiving work is what makes other work possible. This is very true.
Everyone at some point in our lives, whether because we are ill, impaired, or frail, would need help from our families, friends, and many others for caregiving.
Without the caregiving services, it is difficult to navigate life. Those who do offer their help and energy for the caregiving can be paid or unpaid.
Family caregivers often are not paid, while many individuals provide care through care facilities designated by law as paid caregivers.
Here comes the domestic workers. Domestic workers are carers for someone whether a child or an elderly, serving as a companion for someone sick, house cleaners, those who do laundry or cooking, or any other domestic service.
In Hawaii, domestic workers are protected under the Hawaii Law Act 248 enacted in 2013, and are guaranteed at least the state minimum wage and overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a week.
Domestic workers are also protected from discrimination on the job. The Hawaii Department of Labor has some good resources on its website about domestic work and domestic workers.
Domestic workers are found in facilities, already live with the client at the client’s home, or are sent to the client’s homes to do the domestic work via home health agencies.
In Oahu, for example, there are 14 large, registered home health agencies that employ domestic workers. But, domestic workers mainly are found working in long-term care facilities such as adult residential care homes, adult foster homes, and nursing homes. These three by the way differ from each other.
Unfortunately, domestic workers face a wide range of issues, many of which stem from the nature of their work being informal, often undervalued, and unregulated.
These issues include low wages, lack of legal protection or job security, workplace isolation, lack of health coverage, and many more.
These challenges have led to ongoing advocacies for domestic workers. The Internatinal Labor Organization calls to make domestic work a “decent work,” that society make sure it gives domestic workers the value they’re worth and recognition for the work they bring, and to protect their rights as workers.
In Hawaii, domestic workers are predominantly Filipino migrants and women.
There are also efforts being done to organize domestic workers in Hawaii. More about this in our next column.
Thank you,
Hawaii Workers Center
DR. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.
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