Domestic worker

A domestic worker, or simply domestic, is a servant who works within their employer's household. Servants are distinguishable from serfs or slaves in that they are compensated, that is, they must receive payment (and, following labour reforms in the 20th Century, benefits) for their work. They are also free to leave their employment at any time, although social conditions may make that difficult.

In large households, there can be a large number of domestic workers doing different jobs, often as part of an elaborate hierarchy.

A butler is a senior domestic worker, whose duties traditionally included handling the wines of the household and some management of the other servants. Female domestic workers are often called maids.

Domestic workers perform typical domestic chores such as cooking, ironing, washing, cleaning the house, buying foods and drinks, accompanying the female head of the household for grocery shopping, taking the family dog for a walk, and taking care of the children. In some countries, maids replace the role of a nurse in taking care of the elderly and people with disabilities. Maids often are expected to work at least fifteen hours per day.

Domestic Service

Domestic service, or the employment of people for wages in their employer's residence, is also sometimes simply called "service." It evolved into a hierarchical system in various countries at various times.

Prior to the labour reforms of the 20th Century, servants had no protection in law. The only real advantage that service provided was the provision of meals and accommodation in addition to the modest wage. Also, service was an apprentice system; there was room for advancement through the ranks. However, it was also perilous, particularly for females, as there was no protection from unscrupulous employers or members of the family.

In Britain this system peaked towards the close of the Victorian Era, perhaps reaching its most complicated and rigidly structured state during the Edwardian period, which reflected the limited social mobility of the time. Today organisations such as Kalayaan support the growing number of migrant domestic workers.

Domestic Service in the post-Industrial era

Europe and North America

Domestic service reached its height during the Edwardian and Victorian ages in Great Britain and the Gilded Age in the United States.

The emancipation of middle-class women in the late 20th century and their entry into the professional workforce meant that middle-class households were deprived of an important source of unpaid domestic labour. This has given rise to a sharp increase in the employment of cleaners and nannies. That said, the number of households employing full-time domestic service (other than for child care, which is typically done via day care rather than by a live-in nanny) has reduced greatly.

Middle and Far East

Many countries and some industries, such as cruise lines import domestic workers from abroad through recruitment agencies and brokers because their own nationals are no longer obliged or inclined to work in underpaid, difficult or exploitive jobs. This includes most Middle Eastern countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. Even the People's Republic of China, which has many citizens with domestic jobs in the United States and Europe, imports domestic workers from the Philippines. For most countries, the number of domestic workers run into the hundreds of thousands. There are at least one million domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.

Major sources of domestic workers include the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia. Taiwan also imports domestic workers from Vietnam and Mongolia.

Domestic service in other nations

In other places, such as Latin America and Africa, most domestic workers are from the same country in which they work. They may commute from home though they are usually "live-in" domestics, meaning they receive room and board as part of their salaries, sometimes they only receive room and board (see au pair).

Domestic workers in uniform

Many employers require their domestic workers to be in a uniform. This is seldom the case in places such as Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong where small middle-class families usually hire only one worker.

Notable domestic workers

External links

Domestic workers

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