The Ministry of Labor announced new regulations for domestic help in the Dominican Republic. A RD$10,000 minimum wage is established per month. Those that already make more will keep their wages.
Resolution 11-2022 of the National Wage Committee, which sets the minimum wage, will become effective three months after its publication in a newspaper of national circulation.
Resolution 14-2022 of the Minister of Labor and CNS- 11-2022 of the National Wage Committee will become effective three months after its publication in a newspaper of national circulation.
Resolution of the National Social Security Council 501-08 establishes a Vacatio Legislation period of ninety (90) days for this resolution to become effective.
During this period, the SISALRIL, SIPEN and the TSS must prepare the necessary complementary norms for the implementation of the Pilot Plan for domestic workers.
The government has yet to announce the daily minimum wage, of interest especially to those who work days at different homes. A separate resolution will be issued for those that work separate days at different households.
A daily work schedule of no more than eight hours is ordered, for a maximum of 44 hours a week. Additional hours need to be paid at 100% more. Patrons employing domestic help need to register the employee to the Social Security Agency (TSS) once the procedures are available online. Families need to pay RD$571.50 in social security for their employees per month. The domestic help will be included under the Régimen Contributivo Subsidiado. This means, the employees that are not already included, will be added to the government health and pension plans.
Domestic workers must even register contracts with the Ministry of Labor and bear 67% of the cost of Social Security.
Families who hire a person for domestic service will have to pay a fixed fee to the Social Security Treasury of RD$571.5 and will have to bear all the regulations established by that entity. The worker will contribute RD$28.5 and the State will contribute RD$259.43, resources that will be used for the payment of the Family Health Insurance in the subsidized regime modality.
The Ministry of Labor says that domestic help is the third largest employer of women in the country. With the new resolutions issued last week, the domestic help fall under many of the rules that govern other work categories.
The Central Bank estimates that at the close of the second quarter of the year 236,797 domestic help jobs, most held by women. Until last year, the average salary received by a domestic worker was 8,415 pesos per month.
The resolution replaces rulings on domestic help included in the Dominican Labor Code. Former senator Vinicio Castillo Seman says that a resolution cannot override a law. He says the Presidency needs to send a bill to the effect to Congress. He says only Congress can amend the Labor Code regulations on domestic help.
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5 September 2022