Reported economic security worsened.
Source: La Alianza surveys, NDWA Labs
Released: October 8, 2024
The Domestic Workers Economic Situation Report analyzes the economic situation of domestic workers and is released on the same day as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly Jobs Report. Based on weekly surveys with thousands of Spanish-speaking domestic workers across the country, these reports cover jobs, wages and food and housing security.
The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Situation Report shows job growth above market expectations in September, and the general unemployment rate ticked down. [1]
NDWA’s September data shows that joblessness remained at 18%. After fluctuating between 15% and 16% for five months, joblessness increased to 18% in August and remained the same in September. While this is still within the lower end of joblessness rates we’ve seen since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it remains twice the rate of 9% who reported having no jobs before the pandemic. [2]
Domestic workers are the nannies, home care workers, and house cleaners whose work is essential to our economy, and yet they are one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of workers. They work in private homes, and often have multiple employers. This means they may have to schedule several jobs in a given week in order to make ends meet. Domestic workers earn less than the average US worker and are three times as likely to be living in poverty [2].
La Alianza survey data from Spanish-speaking domestic workers shows how respondents continue to face low wages and high levels of unemployment and underemployment.