Eight in ten respondents reported food scarcity during the third quarter of the year.
Source: La Alianza surveys, NDWA Labs
Released: October 6, 2023
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 Jobs Report shows an increase in payroll jobs which was above market expectations [1]. The general unemployment rate remained steady compared to August, while the rate for Latina women decreased.
NDWA Labs’ September data shows that the joblessness rate for domestic worker respondents declined to 17% in September. This comes after a joblessness increase during August. It remains higher compared to the rate of 9% who reported having no jobs before COVID-19 [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].