Hiring Domestic Workers?

Domestic workers are not subject to the general regulations of the Labor Code but to the special regulations established under articles 258 to 264 of the Labor Code (see below). There is no minimum wage or overtime pay. Their rights may be summarized as follows:

1) They must have 9 hours of uninterrupted rest between workdays (art. 261).

2) They must be given a day and half (36 hours) off every week (arts. 163, 262).

3) Two weeks of paid vacations every year (art. 263).


LIBRO CUARTO : De la Regulaci?n Oficial De Las Condiciones De Algunos Contratos De Trabajo

TITULO IV : Del trabajo de los dom?sticos

Art?culo 258.- Trabajadores dom?sticos son los que se dedican de modo exclusivo y en forma habitual y
contin?a a labores de cocina, aseo, asistencia y dem?s, propias de un hogar o de otro sitio de residencia o
habitaci?n particular, que no importen lucro o negocio para el empleador o sus parientes.
No son dom?sticos los trabajadores al servicio del consorcio de propietarios de un condominio.

Art?culo 259.- El contrato de trabajo de los dom?sticos se rige exclusivamente por las disposiciones de
este T?tulo.

Art?culo 260.- Salvo convenio en contrario, la retribuci?n de los dom?sticos comprende, adem?s de los
pagos en dinero, alojamiento y alimentos de calidad corriente.
Los alimentos y habitaci?n que se den al dom?stico se estiman como equivalentes al cincuenta por ciento
del salario que reciba en numerario.

Art?culo 261.- El trabajo de los dom?sticos no se sujeta a ning?n horario; pero ?stos deben gozar, entre
dos jornadas, de un reposo ininterrumpido de nueve horas por lo menos.

Art?culo 262.- Los trabajadores dom?sticos disfrutan del descanso semanal establecido en el art?culo 163.

Art?culo 263.- Los trabajadores dom?sticos tienen derecho a dos semanas de vacaciones remuneradas
cada vez que cumplan un a?o de servicio.

Art?culo 264.- Todo trabajador dom?stico tiene derecho a que su empleador le conceda los permisos
necesarios para asistir a una escuela, siempre y cuando sea compatible con su jornada.

Art?culo 265.- Si el dom?stico contrae una enfermedad por contagio directo de uno de los miembros de
la familia a la cual presta servicios, tiene derecho a gozar de su salario ?ntegro hasta su completo
restablecimiento.

I think that domestic help get about 2500 peso's a month. Someone told me that last week when I was there.

Live-in help........

is paid less because you are supplying room and board but the RD$2500 is about right for "day" help.
My housekeeper gets $RD2000 / mnth but she only works three to three and a half hours per day, six days a week and that amount pays her transportation from San Pedro to Juan Dolio daily.

My housekeeper gets paid 3,200 pesos per month plus 500 pesos for transportation. She works 8AM til 4PM Mon - Fri and 8 - 12 on Sat.

She does not cook or do laundry.

Wow!!!!

That's the first I've heard of such high wages especially for a housekeeper that doesn't cook OR do laundry. I get told off all the time by other people (especially Dominicans) because I'm paying a higher wage than the norm for the amount of hours worked. For example there is s Spanish lady in our complex who employs a housekeeper/maid who works 10 hrs/day,six days/wk and makes 1800 pesos. She cleans,cooks,does laundry and walks the dog!!

MommC, I think that what billshar is paying right now is not far from the norm. Being single and all that I don't have/need/want a maid, but from what I hear around me that's what they get paid.

Pib....must be SD wages.......

Although the people I know in SD (from wealthy families) don't pay as much as I do!
Nice to hear tho that some domestics are making a half decent wage........Like I said I get beat up all the time over what I pay mine 'cause I'm "spoiling" it for the people who live here year round!!!

I also take heat 'cause mine eats lunch with us (that I usually cook!) and the 45 min. or so is part of her "2-1/2-3 hrs" that she "works". I really don't need a domestic either (there's only two of us and if you saw my house in Canada and my condo here you'd know how ridiculous it is for me to have a maid/housekeeper in the DR when really I NEED one at home and don't hsve one there) but I figure for the price of a reasonable dinner out at home I'm helping this women support her family (when she first started working for me she was ONLY working for me....now she works for 3 families and also administrates two condo units!! I've taught her a lot over the years!!)

You need to be 14 or older to work. For workers younger than 16 there are certain restrictions.