“We, as domestic workers, always find a way to take care of our clients. We deserve to have laws that protect our health and safety at work. We are immigrants. We are domestic workers. We are human beings.”
My name is Erika Chavez and I am a member of the La Colectiva de Mujeres. I have one daughter. I come from El Salvador. I have been a domestic worker and nanny for five years.
When I arrived in the United States I didn’t know my rights as a domestic worker or as a person. I worked with a lady cleaning houses from 9am to 10pm and was only paid 100 dollars a week.
At that time, I was very happy because I could send money to my mother, father, and daughter. However, if I had needed to take sick time or vacation time I would not have been able to take them. Furthermore, this low pay for working almost 60 hours a week would not have been enough to cover lost wages or emergency expenses.
I currently have 2 employers. Being a domestic worker is something very nice but at the same time we are afraid because we do not have the same protections of Cal/OSHA as other workers.
I would like all domestic workers to raise their voices and not allow themselves to be abused and exploited. One way is to connect with an organization.Thank God we have La Colectiva de Mujeres who support us and provide regular trainings. But I know that there are thousands of workers in the city who are suffering from these same conditions.
Creating a system of protections ensures that domestic workers have access to benefits that other workers also enjoy. A system like this helps us feel safer in the workplace because if we have an emergency or accident, we will still be able to take care of our health and family.
We, as domestic workers, always find a way to take care of our clients. Our employers must do the same for us. We deserve to have laws that protect our health and safety at work. We are immigrants. We are domestic workers. We are human beings.