New rules to protect domestic workers published

Strict new rules to protect domestic workers from exploitation were published today.

The minimum standards for staff have been set out in the Code of Practice for Protecting Persons Employed in other People's Homes.

The legal responsibilities of employers and the entitlements of the employees have been revealed in the document.

The code also sets out deductions that can be taken from pay for room and board, the privacy of live-in domestic workers, and prohibits the employer from holding an employee's personal documentation, such as a passport or bank cards.

The majority of those working in homes are women who have travelled from oversees to become nannies, au pairs or cleaners.

"Across all sectors of employment we have to be vigilant to stamp out any exploitation of our workforce, particularly those most vulnerable," said Labour Affairs minister Tony Killeen launching the code in Ennis.

"It is important therefore that workers' entitlements are spelt out and clearly understood.

"I believe this code is a major step in achieving this with both workers employed in other people's home and their employers knowing their rights and obligations.

"This code is extremely relevant to both employers and those employed in their employers' homes. It provides a comprehensive framework for an agreed understanding of rights and responsibilities for the protection of those who can, potentially, be very vulnerable workers."

The code emphasises that employees in other people's homes have an equal entitlement to the employment rights and protections available to any other employee.

It highlights a number of these rights and includes provisions relating to protections that have particular relevance to these employers and employees.

The code sets out the requirement that the employer must provide a written statement of terms and conditions of employment to the employee to include a list of duties required to be carried out by the employee and such matters as hours of work, rates of pay and periods of annual leave. In addition it details information to be shown on the employee's pay slip.

IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, said the code will help clarify and confirm existing rights of workers and responsibilities of employees.

"Those working in other people's homes are of course entitled to the same safeguards provided to workers elsewhere in the economy, and this code aims to ensure this is the case in practice," said IBEC Director Brendan McGinty.

The Code of Practice follows a commitment under the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, to put in place special measures to support the employment rights of those employed in the homes of others. It was drawn up by the Labour Relations Commission, in co-operation with IBEC and ICTU.