Social security for domestic workers

Labor informality is one of the most persistent problems in Mexico and affects more than half of the population. However, there is a particular group that works almost entirely in this condition: domestic workers. Recently, the Chamber of Deputies approved –almost unanimously– the reform to the Law of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) that makes the affiliation of domestic workers mandatory in order to formalize and provide social security to this group.

But who are the domestic workers? They are those who, in a paid manner, carry out activities of care, cleaning, assistance or any other activity inherent to the home. People who carry out these activities on an occasional basis, without it being a professional occupation, or who provide cleaning services to hotels, restaurants, schools and similar establishments, are not part of this group.

In Mexico, the magnitude of the problem of informality in domestic workers is the following: there are almost 2.3 million people who do paid domestic work. Of this group, 90% are women (according to data from the second quarter of 2022 reported by the ENOE). Of these, 1.9 million do not have access to health institutions due to their work, and they are the ones who could see an improvement in their working conditions as a result of greater access to social security.

If properly implemented, the reform would imply improvements in the working conditions of women who, for the most part, are part of low-income households, since seven out of 10 domestic workers receive a salary of up to a daily minimum wage, which is equivalent to a maximum income of 5,186 pesos per month.

Now the workers can demand that their employers register with the IMSS where they must earn at least the minimum wage and their affiliation will give them access to disability and life pensions, as well as the right to a retirement fund that will allow them to have a greater economic security with a better quality of life in the future.

Membership benefits are not only limited to economics. They also imply access to medical services and social benefits such as nurseries, which have shown to be an incentive to increase the participation of women in the labor market. Additionally, domestic workers who live in the house in which they work must be provided with sufficient food, room and rest to carry out their tasks in a dignified manner and separating their personal time.

Las domestic workers they deserve to have the same rights as any other worker. Integrating them to social security not only dignifies their work and respects their human rights, but also recognizes the economic and social contribution of their work.

This type of employment is a route that many Mexican women take to earn an income, especially for those who are part of vulnerable groups. However, for it to be carried out properly, efficient registration mechanisms are needed, both for the employer and the employee. In the case of The patterns, registration time can be a significant barrier to registering your employee; in the of housemaidsthey should receive appropriate advice to understand their tax obligations and the benefits they obtain in return.

To make a toast social Security domestic workers is an important step, although not enough, to eliminate the barriers of inequality and social mobility.

*The author is a researcher at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (@IMCO).