The ILO's Domestic Workers Convention and Recommendation: A window of opportunity for social justice

Abstract

Domestic workers are a predominantly female workforce whose social and labour rights remained largely unattended for decades. Addressing this has become more urgent, as demand for household and personal care services is increasing. Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 201 set out global minimum standards for domestic work. The author first describes international labour and human rights law on domestic work prior to 2011. He then examines the instruments' definitions and scope and problems of particular groups; their provisions on working time, pay, work environment and living conditions; social security; and implementation and enforcement.

Effort Years and Underperformance : The Intersection of Employment, Social Protection, and Gender in South Korea

“…One way to provide specialized information is through the establishment of transparency of pay and promotion structures (Oelz et al, 2013; ILO, 2012c). For instance, the Equality Ombud in Sweden has published a brochure on pay surveys, designed to explain the difference between equal work and work of equal value.…”

“…Source: Oelz et al, 2013. Governments and workers' and employers' organizations can actively address the unequal treatment of women and men at work. Equal treatment mechanisms should be implemented through effective remedies, dissuasive sanctions and monitored and enforced through labour inspection, specialized equality bodies and effective access to courts; in addition, data collection on discrimination will facilitate the monitoring of the frameworks for equality (ILO et al, 2014).…”

“…For instance, the Equality Ombud in Sweden has published a brochure on pay surveys, designed to explain the difference between equal work and work of equal value. In addition, the Ombud has taken steps towards the conduct of pay surveys and analysis (Oelz et al, 2013). Similarly, under its national action plan for gender equality in the labour market, Austria has made it compulsory for companies to submit an equal pay report with staff income every two years.…”

“…Article 11 of Convention No. 189 requires ratifying States to take measures "to ensure that domestic workers enjoy minimum wage coverage, where such coverage exists, and that remuneration is established without discrimination based on sex" (Oelz, 2014). In addition, countries ratifying Convention No.…”

The Legal Problems of Occupational and Health Safety in Estonia

“…50 Not the persons who hire them nor the workers themselves do not take their work as an employment contract and hence do not know their mutual rights and obligations. 51 To protect domestic workers ILO has enforced in 2013 a convention concerning decent work for domestic workers 52 providing working requirements for domestic workers. According to the art 1 of the convention a domestic worker is any person engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship.…”