Household (domestic) workers

The Minimum Wages (Household Assistants) Order covers anyone employed to do household duties such as cooking, cleaning, washing or ironing. It applies whether you work full-time or part-time.

Full-time or part-time?

You are full-time if you normally work 44 hours a week for one employer, not counting lunch and rest breaks, spread over six days. If you work fewer hours for an employer, you are part-time with that employer.

What every household assistant is entitled to

• At least the national minimum wage of TT$20.50 an hour. The pay rates printed in the 1991 Order are out of date.
• 14 working days' sick leave a year once you have worked for the same employer continuously for six months. Your employer pays the difference between your normal pay and your NIS sickness benefit. You must give a medical certificate for any illness longer than two days.
• Maternity leave, and the right to return to your job afterwards. You can start leave six weeks before your expected delivery date, and you cannot be required to return sooner than seven weeks after the birth. Give your employer a medical certificate showing the expected delivery date at least 150 days before the birth, and a certificate of fitness at least two weeks before you return. Your employer pays the difference between your pay and your NIS maternity benefit.
• Your duties, hours of work and rest periods set out in writing by your employer when you start.

Extra rights for full-time household assistants

• One day off each week, on a day you and your employer agree. You cannot build up more than four days off. Once you have four, you must be given and must take them straight away.
• Overtime pay for hours worked beyond 44 in a week.
• Two weeks' paid vacation leave after 12 months' service, if you have worked at least 220 days in that year.

If you work part-time

The Order clearly gives paid vacation leave to full-time household assistants. Whether a part-time assistant is entitled to it is less clear, so agree your vacation leave in writing with your employer.

If you work for more than one household

Each household that employs you is a separate employer. Each one must pay you at least the minimum wage, and must pay NIS contributions if what they pay you reaches the lowest NIS earnings class.

Record this risk in the Employer Self-Assessment

• The Industrial Relations Act does not cover you. It excludes people employed in domestic work in a private home and paid by the householder. That means you cannot use the trade dispute and Industrial Court route for unfair dismissal.
• Statutory severance does not apply. The Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act only covers workers under the Industrial Relations Act.
• You can still get help. Report unpaid wages, wages below the minimum or missing leave to the Labour Inspectorate at the Ministry of Labour. The Conciliation, Advisory and Advocacy Division gives free advice to non-unionised workers, and an attorney can advise on a claim in the courts, for example for unpaid notice.

• Ask for your terms in writing: pay, hours, day off, duties, vacation and sick leave. The letter templates on this site can help.
• Keep a simple record of the days and hours you work and what you are paid.
• Make sure your employer has your NIS number and is paying contributions. You can check your contribution record with the NIBTT.