SEATTLE — Today, the Seattle City Council, in a 9-0 vote, passed legislation transmitted by Mayor Katie B. Wilson and sponsored by Council Member Rinck to strengthen the Domestic Workers Ordinance. The legislation includes important new protections for Domestic Workers to ensure they are treated fairly in the workplace. Domestic work makes all other work possible, and this legislation ensures those who perform it have the protections they deserve. 

The amendments include:   

• Requiring a written agreement between the hiring entity and domestic worker  

• Requiring hiring entities to create and retain pay and hour records  

• Adding retaliation protections for domestic workers taking paid sick and safe leave and/or other agreed upon time off  

• Requiring advance notice of termination   

“Seattle continues to set the pace in protecting workers’ rights,” said Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “These amendments will strengthen protections for domestic workers who have too often worked without basic safeguards. The amendments to the Domestic Workers Ordinance help ensure domestic workers have a fair chance to earn a living wage while being treated with dignity and respect.”  

"Updating our domestic workers ordinance is crucial in our work to guarantee rights and protections to the people who take care of our homes and families," said Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Citywide, Position 8). 

“The passing of these amendments provides domestic workers in Seattle with stronger protections they can count on,” said OLS Director Steven Marchese. “Informed by research and community feedback, these updates strengthen the ordinance and ensure domestic workers have meaningful workplace rights and greater job security.” 

“This is a victory for domestic workers! The passage of these amendments is another important step forward. It gives domestic workers stronger protections and tools to understand how we can advocate for ourselves. It also makes clear that employers have a responsibility to uphold fair and respectful working conditions when they hire someone to work in their home,” said Nanny, Seattle Domestic Workers Standards Board Member and Fair Work Center/ Working Washington Community Organizer, Edy Domínguez. 

Seattle became the first city in the nation to pass a domestic workers bill of rights in 2019. Since then, a dozen other jurisdictions have followed suit including most recently Washington State becoming the 13th state to pass labor protections for domestic workers (SHB2355).