For Immediate Release
Contact Information
Cynthia Santana
Phone: 206-256-5219
Email:cynthia.santana@seattle.gov
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City of Seattle to Celebrate Five-Year Anniversary of the Domestic Workers Ordinance
Establishing Domestic Workers Rights Since July 1, 2019
Seattle, WA (June 28, 2024) – The City of Seattle is proud to announce the fifth anniversary of the Domestic Workers Ordinance (DWO). To commemorate this anniversary, the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) and the Domestic Workers Standards Board (DWSB) will host a celebration on Monday, July 1, 2024 at Pratt Park, 201 20th Ave South in Seattle, from 5:00 PM- 8:00 PM. Join us for complimentary refreshments, music, and activities for children and families of domestic workers, hiring entities who employ them, and community leaders who support domestic workers’ rights.
“Seattle made history in 2018 as the first city to pass a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, guaranteeing minimum wage, meal and rest breaks, and other protections for this workforce who play a vital role in our economy and in our lives,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “This forward-thinking legislation has become a national model, recognizing that domestic workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I invite all community members to join the celebration of this special milestone as we continue to build an equitable, thriving One Seattle where every person can access work with fair wages, good benefits, and new opportunities.”
Seattle was the first City in the United States to enact a domestic worker’s bill of rights, which includes:
- Minimum wage for domestic workers
- Provision of meal periods
- Rest breaks
- The right to keep personal documents.
- Establishing the Domestic Worker Standards Board (DWSB).
The Domestic Worker’s Standards Board is a unique forum for hiring entities, domestic workers, and other community members to make recommendations to the City on issues related to domestic workers.
The Domestic Workers Ordinance covers domestic workers (both employees and independent contractors) who provide paid services to an individual or household in a private home as a nanny, house cleaner, home care worker, gardener, cook, and/or household manager
“On July 1, 2019, Seattle led the nation in implementing workplace rights for domestic workers. These rights, along with the Domestic Workers Standards Board, are integral parts of a national movement to ensure all domestic workers are protected under the law and can work in equitable environments without fear of retaliation. OLS is proud to celebrate this milestone and we invite you to join us in marking this significant achievement,” said OLS Director Steven Marchese.
“Gracias ala carta de derechos , estoy protegida de conservar mis documentos y tener un sueldo (pago) justo. Thanks to the bill of rights, I can keep my documents and have a fair wage,” said Maria Flores, domestic worker.
“As an employer of a house cleaner, the Domestic Worker Ordinance has been so helpful in educating me about what my responsibilities are. The DWO allows employers and employees to work together to ensure that domestic workers have the same rights as other workers,” said Jordan Goldwarg, Domestic Workers Standards Board member and hiring entity.
In response to the DWSB’s recommendations, the City Council passed a Resolution in 2021 asking OLS to work with community stakeholders to develop policies to provide paid time off (PTO) for domestic workers. OLS plans to release findings later this year on portable PTO as part of the anniversary celebration, following an extensive research collaboration with community partners.
To know more about the DWO click here and visit https://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards to learn about all of Seattle’s labor standards.
- Help for workers and the public: to ask a question, file a complaint, or provide information, call 206-256-5297, email laborstandards@seattle.gov, or click here to fill out a worker inquiry web form.
- Help for hiring entities: for free and private assistance for compliance with Seattle’s labor standards, call 206-256-5297, email laborstandards@seattle.gov or click here to fill out an employer inquiry web form.
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