The National Statistics Office (ONE) estimates that more than 325,000 people are employed as domestic workers in the Dominican Republic. This accounts for 5.6% of the informal work force, and an estimated 90% are women.
The Labor Code awards limited benefits to domestic help, which does not include severance payments or maternity protection. If a maid becomes pregnant, she can be let go with no penalty to the employer. Domestic employers do not have to pay overtime either. Medical insurance benefits are the exception. A report in the new economic newspaper, El Dinero, says that 62% of domestic workers receive wages of RD$6,000 or less for working in middle class households. The report says that some have been able to become affiliated to Senasa, the government health provider.