Domestic help minimum increased to RD$13,000 a month

[Dolores]

The Ministry of Labor, now under Eddy Olivares, has called for persons employing domestic labor to give their workers a 30% increase, effective 1 May 2025.

A statement from the Ministry of Labor explains that the 30% wage increase for domestic workers does not apply to those already earning more than the minimum wage of RD$10,000. In those cases, the official explained that workers and employers have the discretion to negotiate contracts outside the scope of the minimum wage, with agreements made based on what is mutually agreed upon between the parties, as long as it is above the minimum threshold.

He further clarified that if the agreement is based on a daily rate, “the worker only pays for the day worked, meaning the minimum wage does not apply. Instead, it is based on a daily calculation of the 13,000 pesos,” he explained.

The wage increase for domestic...

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[CristoRey]

Most domestic helpers live on site and will work up to a month straight prior to having a single day off.

With this new rate they are now entitled to just under $8 USD a day.

They must thrilled..

 

[AlterEgo]

Most domestic helpers live on site and will work up to a month straight prior to having a single day off.

With this new rate they are now entitled to just under $8 USD a day.

They must thrilled..

All the live-in help I know of in Santo Domingo work half day Saturday, are off Sunday and return early Monday to work. They go home to wherever they’re from those days. They make significantly more than 13K too.

The daily women usually make 1000 pesos a day when they work for multiple people.

In our campo, those with full time help often have one girl who works Monday-Thursday, and another Friday-Sunday. The weekend girl makes as much as the 4 day girl.

 

[CristoRey]

All the live-in help I know of in Santo Domingo work half day Saturday, are off Sunday and return early Monday to work. They go home to wherever they’re from those days. They make significantly more than 13K too.

The daily women usually make 1000 pesos a day when they work for multiple people.

In our campo, those with full time help often have one girl who works Monday-Thursday, and another Friday-Sunday. The weekend girl makes as much as the 4 day girl.

I remember not long after moving to Santiago (yes I'll admit this was several years ago) knowing a young women from my neighborhood at the time who worked as a domestic helper for a family of Dominican Yorks who were living in Villa Maria.

The paid her next to nothing and treated her like garbage while providing her with a room in the house. She was required to work for one month straight then getting only two days off, rinse and repeat.

She did this for about one year until she finally found a real job. Funny thing about it, I remember how happy she was when she told me at her new job she would only be working 55 hours a week while being to sleep in her own bed at night.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

My maid gets 12,000. She works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday full day (8:30-12:00 and 2:00-5:00). Thursdays and Saturdays are half days.

I rent a cute little house just below my property for her and her family. The rent also covers electricity and water.

My maid is a special woman. She works as needed nights at our little hospital and on weekends take classes in Moca.

I really feel like I with her, I have
It maid! 😂😂😂😂😂

 

[AlterEgo]

My maid gets 12,000. She works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday full day (8:30-12:00 and 2:00-5:00). Thursdays and Saturdays are half days.

I rent a cute little house just below my property for her and her family. The rent also covers electricity and water.

My maid is a special woman. She works as needed nights at our little hospital and on weekends take classes in Moca.

I really feel like I with her, I have
It maid! 😂😂😂😂😂

Very different salaries in the campo and Santo Domingo. In SD, it’s around 18-22,000 a month.

You’re paying about what we do, ($13,000) but we’re paying more than most around us. Our girl works 9-4 for 6 days, but she’s in nursing school and has to leave at least one day a week at noon to work/study in person at a hospital in San Cristobal. Her classes are mostly online, so she spends time daily with that. She’s a wonderful girl. This year she was excited to show me a new stove that she bought at Sirena when it was on sale, and actually said “Thanks to YOU!” to me. Sounds like we both are lucky.

 

[keepcoming]

Sometimes when you find that "perfect" housekeeper/maid, the bit extra you may pay is worth it. I know it was for us. The extra things she would do went above and beyond anything expected from her.

 

[Manuel01]

Sometimes when you find that "perfect" housekeeper/maid, the bit extra you may pay is worth it. I know it was for us. The extra things she would do went above and beyond anything expected from her.

Totally true. Almost impossible do find a good worker. Would be very stupid to loose one because off a few bucks.
But there is a danger !!! If you pay to much and if you are to nice, than in no time they become your boss and know everything better than you.

 

[keepcoming]

Totally true. Almost impossible do find a good worker. Would be very stupid to loose one because off a few bucks.
But there is a danger !!! If you pay to much and if you are to nice, than in no time they become your boss and know everything better than you.

Agree, there is always that thin line between employer and employee. We were really lucky finding Navidad, that was her name. She probably did know more than I did at the beginning...lol

 

[Big]

It no wonder Sosua is packed with chicas

 

[Sol09]

It's unbelievable how people can survive off of a monthly salary which is amounts to a weekly grocery trip for many of us.
It would be much better to be a housekeeper for a couple of clients that pay you at least 1,000/day than to work in one house and receive 13K for the month.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

It's unbelievable how people can survive off of a monthly salary which is amounts to a weekly grocery trip for many of us.
It would be much better to be a housekeeper for a couple of clients that pay you at least 1,000/day than to work in one house and receive 13K for the month.

I agree, although many in the campo do survive. They just live a different lifestyle than you, probably.

In the case of my maid, since I pay for her house, electricity and water and she has a second small income from occasional work, 13K is very livable.

 

[Big]

I agree, although many in the campo do survive. They just live a different lifestyle than you, probably.

In the case of my maid, since I pay for her house, electricity and water and she has a second small income from occasional work, 13K is very livable.

55 dollars a week is a miserable existence.

 

[AlterEgo]

55 dollars a week is a miserable existence.

Hard to argue with that, but you must remember that we foreigners do not set the rate, and we have to be careful to stay within the guidelines set by Dominicans.

In our case, our girl is treated very well, eats what we eat, walks down the road to get here, lives with her mother and grandmother. In the drums we shipped down were lots of clothing for her son (shirts, pants/shorts, sneakers, crayons, coloring books, toys), and clothes for her, her mother and her grandmother, plus towels, toiletries, candles, tablecloths and kitchen items.

When we leave, everything in our kitchen pantry, freezer and refrigerator go to her house.

I’d venture to say that her existence when we’re there is way better than when we’re not.

 

[josh2203]

Hard to argue with that, but you must remember that we foreigners do not set the rate, and we have to be careful to stay within the guidelines set by Dominicans.

This is the best summary and this topic has been discussed quite a bit in the past as well. Funny thing though, only salaries of what expats pay and salaries of of professions close to us are discussed, others usually ignored, even though the case is exactly the same. It's not discussed why Dominican companies (no matter what the profession) are paying for their Dominican workers. I have recently checked the offered salaries of various, office based professions, and even though they are obviously paid more than the 13k per month, it's still well within the limits of the market rates.

 

[keepcoming]

This is the best summary and this topic has been discussed quite a bit in the past as well. Funny thing though, only salaries of what expats pay and salaries of of professions close to us are discussed, others usually ignored, even though the case is exactly the same. It's not discussed why Dominican companies (no matter what the profession) are paying for their Dominican workers. I have recently checked the offered salaries of various, office based professions, and even though they are obviously paid more than the 13k per month, it's still well within the limits of the market rates.

I do not find that unusual. Many if not most companies do not discuss/publicize what they pay their employees. The exception I would assume is if you are being hired by a company. Many companies prohibit discussion of salaries amongst employees. I am sure some still discuss it though.

 

[johne]

This is the best summary and this topic has been discussed quite a bit in the past as well. Funny thing though, only salaries of what expats pay and salaries of of professions close to us are discussed, others usually ignored, even though the case is exactly the same. It's not discussed why Dominican companies (no matter what the profession) are paying for their Dominican workers. I have recently checked the offered salaries of various, office based professions, and even though they are obviously paid more than the 13k per month, it's still well within the limits of the market rates.

To your point: Dominican wife with NA husband (me) would NOT pay such low wages. Ex: we have a cleaning woman for our house once a week. We pick her up at 9:15 and she starts at 9:30. Works until 6pm. She eats a fully prepared lunch at the same time as us. She is driven back to her starting point.
We pay her $40 dollars.
She cleans slowly and not a inch of our house doesn't get scrubbed. Ex: rugs are lifted, stove is pushed forward. Patio tiles scrubbed, security bars wiped cleaned.. I would like nothing less and my wife doesn't drive her until she is finished. She has no complaints and she came recommend.

 

[josh2203]

To your point: Dominican wife with NA husband (me) would NOT pay such low wages. Ex: we have a cleaning woman for our house once a week. We pick her up at 9:15 and she starts at 9:30. Works until 6pm. She eats a fully prepared lunch at the same time as us. She is driven back to her starting point.
We pay her $40 dollars.
She cleans slowly and not a inch of our house doesn't get scrubbed. Ex: rugs are lifted, stove is pushed forward. Patio tiles scrubbed, security bars wiped cleaned.. I would like nothing less and my wife doesn't drive her until she is finished. She has no complaints and she came recommend.

Please kindly note that my reply was intended to AE, basically agreeing to what she said. I mentioned other companies as I have occasionally seen what people in different places get paid. Period.

 

[johne]

Please kindly note that my reply was intended to AE, basically agreeing to what she said. I mentioned other companies as I have occasionally seen what people in different places get paid. Period.

Have a good day and relax with family and friends during Easter.