Nearly three months to the day since At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman announced the Domestic Worker Employment Rights Amendment Act of 2022, the Committee on Labor & Workforce Development, which she chairs, is holding a public hearing on the legislation. The bill would grant the approximately 9,000 domestic workers in D.C. protections against workplace discrimination and exploitation. On Thursday at 11 a.m., nannies, home care workers, house cleaners, cooks, and others who work in home settings in the District will speak about their experiences and offer input on the bill. The bill has eight co-signers—one more than the majority needed to pass the full Council.
The bill would require anyone in D.C. who hires a domestic worker for more than five hours per month to provide a written contract that sets standards for hours, pay, and the scope of the work. It would also include domestic workers, who are mostly Black and Brown women, under local laws that protect against workplace discrimination and unsafe working conditions.
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