Domestic workers number about 60,000 in New Jersey — housekeepers, laundry workers and people in similar jobs. They are among the lowest-paid and exempt from basic legal protections under federal labor laws. A bill making its way through Trenton would bolster protections for them against wage theft, denial of breaks and lack of sick leave.
According to a 2020 Rutgers report, 18% of New Jersey domestic workers reported schedules changing week to week, 57% have been victims of wage theft and 90% don’t have a written contract.
Opponents of the bill say they do want to see the health and safety of domestic workers protected but want some of the language in the bill changed because they’re concerned that without certain changes, employers could be held liable for things out of their control.
The bill is headed to the Senate Budget Committee and then the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
