DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

In Washington DC, domestic workers were the only group of workers excluded from DC’s Human Rights Act, which protects workers from discrimination on the job. 9,040 domestic workers work in Washington DC.

After more than four years of domestic workers’ sustained advocacy and organizing, the DC Council passed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in December 2022. The bill finally includes domestic workers, many of whom regularly experience sexual harassment, wage theft, and other forms of workplace discrimination, in basic legal rights.

The recently passed DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights will:

Include domestic workers in DC’s Human Rights Act, to provide protection against sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and other characteristics

End the exclusion of domestic workers from DC’s occupational health and safety law

Require written agreements between domestic workers and their employers to ensure workers know their rights and employers are aware of their responsibilities

Establish a Domestic Work Outreach and Education Program within the Department of Employment Services (DOES). DOES will collaborate with organizations that work with domestic workers and employers to provide education and training on labor standards in the industry.

Read the Bill

Support the DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

Email the members of the DC Council’s Business and Economic Development Committee to tell them to move the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights forward by holding a mark-up of this bill as soon as possible.

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Background

Domestic work is one of the most important and fastest growing jobs in the country, yet it is some of the most unprotected and vulnerable work, excluded from basic labor rights and protections and primarily done by women of color and immigrants.

Of the 9,040 domestic workers working in DC

92% are women
91% are people of color
71% are immigrants

The median annual earnings for a domestic worker in DC is $25,888.

In Washington DC, domestic workers are subject to wage theft, workplace discrimination, unstable schedules, lack of access to basic workplace benefits, and more.

Domestic workers were the only group of workers excluded from DC’s Human Rights Act. This exclusion is a remnant of a long legacy of racism that dates back to slavery. The exclusion from DC’s Human Rights Act reflects the federal exclusions of domestic workers from several bedrock workplace protections passed in the 1930s. Domestic workers were intentionally excluded from these protections in order to gain the votes of southern lawmakers, who did not want to include the overwhelmingly Black workforce that did domestic work at the time.

Campaign Journey

On December 22, 2022, the DC Council unanimously voted in favor of passing the DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights! You can read more about the campaign journey and the final vote here.
On Tuesday December 6th, the full DC Council took its first vote on the DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights – and it passed unanimously! You can watch the discussion and vote on the bill at 8:30:10 in this broadcast of the council session.
On Friday October 21st, the Committee on Government Operations and Facilities and the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development marked up the bill. All of the committee members present voted unanimously in favor of moving the bill forward. You can watch the Government Operations Committee mark-up here and the Labor and Workforce Development Committee mark-up here. The bill now moves to the Business and Economic Development Committee, who needs to hold a third mark-up. Take action to ask the Business and Economic Development Committee to continue the momentum and hold a mark-up now.
On Thursday June 16, the Domestic Worker Employment Rights Amendment Act of 2022 had a hearing in the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. Over 90 witnesses testified in strong support of the bill! You can watch the entire hearing here.
On Tuesday March 15, At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman introduced a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in the DC Council — B24-0712, the Domestic Worker Employment Rights Amendment Act of 2022. The bill was co-introduced by 8 other members of the DC Council, At-Large Councilmember Robert White, At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson, At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, and Councilmember Charles Allen.
54 organizations from throughout DC signed a letter endorsing the DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. You can add your organization’s name to the organizational endorsement letter using this form.
45 faith leaders from communities in the DMV sent a letter to the DC Council calling on the Council to pass a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
Read stories from domestic workers from the NDWA DC Chapter here.
In February 2022, the DC Chapter of the National Domestic Workers Alliance released a new video that uses the stories of domestic workers and employers in DC to share why a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights is urgently needed.

Domestic workers do essential work to care for our families and our homes, yet they lack basic rights including protections under DC’s human rights law. That’s why we’re so excited that @tweetelissa will soon introduce a #DomesticWorkersBillofRights in the DC Council! pic.twitter.com/hBVM8SwiCk

— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) February 17, 2022
In July 2021, the DC Chapter of the National Domestic Workers Alliance held a town hall with DC At-Large Councilwoman Elissa Silverman to amplify the stories of domestic workers and the need for the DC Council to pass a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.
Are you an employer of a domestic worker and live in DC? Our partners at Hand in Hand are organizing employers in support of this bill. Sign this petition and get involved.