Among other provisions, this law gives domestic workers:
-The right to overtime pay at time-and-a-half after 40 hours of work in a week, or 44 hours for workers who live in their employer’s home;
-A day of rest (24 hours) every seven days, or overtime pay if they agree to work on that day;
-Three paid days of rest each year after one year of work for the same employer; \
-Protection under New York State Human Rights Law, and the creation of a special cause of action for domestic workers who suffer sexual or racial harassment (*I have a friend who offered her $300 to clean the kitchen floor with a sponge on her hands and knees naked. He was serious.)
This includes live in nannies. They too, must be paid overtime. A live out gets overtime after 40 hours of time and a half and a live in gets overtime after 44 hours. 90 percent of families are not doing this.
I am a nanny who makes just barely that (650 for 62 hours). When I meet nannies on the playground, some of them work more than I do and are making $500 or even $400. What is going on? Three years ago I didn't know anyone who made so little in the nanny business.
Why aren't more nannies demanding the fair pay they are entitled to? Do you realize that if you, a beginner nanny, demanded the very basic pay and overtime rate, that you would make it easier for seasoned nannies to demand a better wage? You are muddying the waters for us and causing us to take a non livable wage. You need to wise up, unionize, organize or just realize they can't live without you.
I beg of you to talk to other nannies and let them know what their rights are. If you are looking for a job on a website and see posts that advertise jobs that are not correct, email these people back and tell them they can be reported to:
NYS Department of Labor Division of Labor Standards
W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus Building
12 Albany, NY 12240
Phone Number for Labor Standards questions is: 1-888-52-LABOR
Email: labor.sm.ls.ask@labor.ny.gov
Here is a link to the Domestic Worker's Rights.
Look out for each other,
-Edina (I used to make $900 a week!)
