About
Our very first chapter! Hand in Hand was formed in 2010 when domestic employers fought alongside domestic workers to win the New York Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, the first legislation in the country providing legal rights and protections to nannies, house cleaners and home attendants.
After supporting the passage of the New York Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights our New York Chapter has focused on:
- Domestic employer education, ensuring that employers are following best practices to make their homes fair workplaces
- Supporting domestic workers in their ongoing fight for legal rights and protections both on a local and national level
- Building solidarity across race and class to support immigrant rights and fight gender and racial inequalities.
- Building the New York Caring Majority coalition to build the political power to fight for expanded access to affordable home care, as well as end the workforce shortage of NY home care workers by increasing wages to make home care jobs good, family-sustaining jobs.
Our membership base is always growing, and we invite you to join us! Click here to learn about upcoming meetings and join our email list!
Staff
Current Campaigns
New York Caring Majority
The New York Caring Majority is a movement of seniors, people with disabilities, family caregivers, and home care workers from across the state. We advocate for a more sustainable and just caring economy that will help all New Yorkers who
Care Forward
In September 2021, Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network, Carroll Gardens Association, We Rise, and The Worker Institute at ILR Cornell, launched Care Forward, an initiative that takes a neighborhood-based and restorative justice approach to addressing worker violations and
NYC Care Campaign
We are a growing movement of domestic workers, employers, parents, family caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities working together to transform New York City’s care economy to one that is equitable and sustainable for all. Our Goals: Build our
Past Campaigns
New York Domestic Worker Bill of Rights
In 2000, Domestic Workers United (DWU), an organization of domestic workers across New York City, began organizing to pass the country’s first ever Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, to end the historic exclusion of domestic workers from labor and civil
Expansion of Paid Sick Leave
Hand in Hand has long advocated for 5 days for sick leave as a fair employment policy in the home. On September 30, 2020, our organizing efforts alongside the National Domestic Workers Alliance paid off, when the Paid Safe and
Intro 339
Passed in July 2021, Int. 339-2018 amends the NYC human rights law to include individuals who employ domestic workers, providing workers protections against discrimination in the workplace, and coverage under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The passing of this bill
Employer Resources
Resources for New York Domestic Employers:
Best Practices and Laws:
New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
In December 2010, New York State made history by passing the very first Domestic Worker Bill of Rights in the United States. Below are some resources about the Bill of Rights:
- NY Department of Labor resources about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
- NY Department of Labor Facts for Employers about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
- Fact sheet from A Better Balance on the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
- Senator Liz Krueger’s Guide to Employing Domestic Workers
New York City Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law
House Cleaner Employer Resources:
- Best Practices for Hiring a House Cleaner or Housekeeper in New York
- Sample House Cleaner Work Agreement for New York Employers
- Checklist for Employers of House Cleaners and Housekeeper in New York
Health insurance resources: Healthy NY is subsidized by the state of New York. An individual must have an annual income under $27,074 and a family must have an income under $55,000 to be eligible. There are many coverage options that range in cost from approximately $250/month for an individual without prescription benefits to $1,600/month for a family with prescription benefits. You should discuss with the worker in your home what percentage of the premium cost you are covering and how much you will share.
Research:
In February of 2020 the Safe and Just Cleaners Research Project surveyed 409 house cleaners in New York City and Westchester to examine working conditions in the industry.
Home Is Where the Work Is: Inside New York’s Domestic Work Industry, by Domestic Workers United & Data Center, 2006 Download Executive Summary, Download Full Report
