Your pay

Domestic Workers · Know your rights

You should be paid in money, regularly, and fairly.

What you should get

• Minimum wage coverage where a minimum wage exists, and pay set without discrimination based on sex (C189, Art. 11).
• Pay at least once a month, directly to you (C189, Art. 12).
• Only a limited part of your pay can be 'in kind' (like food or a room), and only if you agree, it is for your own use, and its value is fair (C189, Art. 12).
• Fees charged by private employment agencies must not be taken from your pay (C189, Art. 15).

Check for

• You know your pay rate and pay day
• You get a record each time you are paid

What you can do

• Write down every payment: date, amount, and who paid you.

Sources: ILO C189, Art. 11, 12 and 15 (NORMLEX)

This card is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by country. Information checked 2 October 2026. For help, see piowr.org/domestic-workers and piowr.org/tools/find-help.

Pacific Institute of Workplace Relations · Fair Conditions At Work · piowr.org