Domestic Workers Push
For Shorter Work Week,
Better Working
Conditions
Domestic workers are
pushing hard for a
reduction in their work
day and better working
conditions, like
reducing work hours to 8
hours per day to a
maximum of 48 hours per
week, down from the
current 72, which many
feel is an abuse by
their employers.
The proposal before
legislators is being
promoted by the
Instituto Nacional de
las Mujeres (Inamu),
Astradomes, the
Ministerio de Trabajo
and other social
agencies to better the
working conditions of
domestic workers.
The current Código de
Trabajo (Labour Code),
mainly article 104,
differentiates domestic
workers from other
employees, which many
feel is discriminatory.
Jeannette Carrillo,
president of the Inamu,
is one who remembers
when the Sala
Constitucional
(Constitutional Court),
by a margin of one vote,
that the was no
justified reason for the
exception for domestic
workers in the labour
code and urged
legislators to make an
effort to change the
legal status of
domestics as they are
deemed discriminatory.
The court voted on the
resolution in the
1990's.
Among the changes being
pushed in the
legislative changes is
that the maximum work
week be 48 hours and
that domestic workers be
compensated for the
additional hours worked,
that they should be
included in the social
security system and be
covered for job risks
and holidays should be
the same as all other
employees.
Carrillo stressed that
domestic work is a
decent work, not to be
seen a lowly job, and
assures personal
development and a
quality of life, not
only for the domestic,
but also for the
employer.
"We all like to get home
to a clean and neat
hours, that way we have
time to do things we
like and be with our
families. Thanks to the
work of the domestic we
can do that and in
exchange we have to
reward their work and
guaranteeing them good
working conditions",
said Carrillo.
In Costa Rica the
majority of the domestic
work is carried out by
foreigners, mainly
Nicaraguans.
In the recent weeks,
radio and television
advertising has been
focusing on the rights
of domestic workers. The
ads urge domestic
workers to know their
rights and demand better
working conditions and
the right to be insured
under the health system.
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