The Kasambahay Law for Domestic Workers in Philippines
In 2013, the Philippine government passed a law called Republic Act No. 10361, also known as the Domestic Workers Act or more commonly, the Kasambahay Law. This law provides minimum wage and other labor protections for domestic workers in the Philippines. Before this law was passed, domestic workers were not recognized as formally employed, and as a result, they were not protected by labor laws. The passing of this law was a major victory for domestic workers’ rights in the Philippines.
Minimum Wage for Domestic Workers in the Philippines
Under the Kasambahay Law, all domestic workers in the Philippines are entitled to a minimum wage that is set by regional wage boards. As of January 2019, the minimum wage for domestic workers in Metro Manila is PHP 5,000 per month. This means that if you are a domestic worker in Metro Manila and your employer is only paying you PHP 4,500 per month, you are entitled to receive an additional PHP 500 per month in wages.
Other Labor Protections for Domestic Workers in the Philippines
In addition to the right to receive a minimum wage, domestic workers in the Philippines are also entitled to rest days, 13th-month pay, and social security benefits. The Kasambahay Law requires employers to provide their domestic workers with at least one day off per week. If the domestic worker and employer agree, they can work out a different arrangement where the domestic worker can have more than one day off per week but she must be paid an additional daily rate for working on her rest days.
The Kasambahay Law also requires employers to provide their domestic workers with 13th-month pay and social security benefits. For those not familiar with 13th-month pay, it is an extra month’s worth of salary that is paid out to employees in December before Christmas. Social security benefits include health insurance and retirement benefits.
Conclusion:
The Kasambahay Law is a major victory for domestic workers’ rights in the Philippines. It provides them with minimum wage and other labor protections that they were previously not entitled to. All domestic workers in the Philippines are now entitled to receive a minimum wage that is set by regional wage boards, rest days, 13th-month pay, and social security benefits. If you are a domestic worker in the Philippines and you feel that your employer is not complying with these provisions of the law, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Employment.