CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- As of Jan. 1, 2022, all nannies, care workers, and home cleaners who work in Chicago must be provided a written contract.
The City of Chicago introduced the law which says contracts should include the workers’ wage and schedule and be written in their native language.
“This law makes professional the jobs of those who provide in-home care for our elderly, our children, and who clean our homes,” said Anna Jakubek, a domestic worker organizer with Arise Chicago.
“It ends decades of unfair and often racist practices against those who make our lives possible.”
“After many years of fighting for inclusion in employment laws, it is very exciting to have new protections that go beyond the basic minimum,” added Magdalena Zylinska.
The new law applies to all domestic workers in the city, regardless of their immigration status, and will be enforced by the Chicago Office of Labor Standards.
“If the employer fails to provide a contract, the Office of Labor Standards can fine an employer $500 for every time they fail to provide a written contract in the worker's primary language,” said Militza Pagan, an attorney with Shriver Center on Poverty Law.
To ensure domestic workers know about the new law, Arise Chicago launched an outreach program to offer free training on drafting an initial contract.
Those interested in getting help can refer to the Arise Chicago website for contract samples or call its hotlines in English, Spanish and Polish.
Español: 312-833-1058
English: 312-833-1810
Polish: 312-835-1085
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