Babysitter Bill Causing Storm of Protest

[abelenkpe]

Babysitter Bill Causing Storm of Protest

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Babysitter-Bill-Causing-Storm-of-Protest-128829753.html

Legislation now pending in the California State Senate would require people who employ domestic workers to not only pay them minimum wage, but also pay overtime and provide workers' compensation.

The bill, AB 889, is being called "the Babysitter's Bill" and it is generating a storm of controversy on the Internet.

The measure would apply to all domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers and caregivers over the age of 18.

Under the proposal, "domestic employees" would have to be given mandatory breaks. California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-District 13), who co-authored the bill said the legislation would require a 10-minute break for every four hours worked, and a 30-minute meal break after five hours.

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Anyone here know much about this bill? Several people have emailed me recently and sent out emails here at work. I checked out http://cadomesticworkers.org/?page_id=9 which outlines the bill and honestly don't see anywhere where people who hire one time babysitters for a nite out with their spouse or significant other would be required to provide overtime or workers comp. It appears to be a bill that gives overtime pay to domestic workers and caregivers who work regular hours. I'm concerned that this bill is getting a bad rap with misinformation being spread by right wing nut jobs and Sen. LaMalfa. Anyway, I was hoping to get more information on the bill and ideas on what can be done to counter the misinformation out there. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[KamaAina]

1. Yep. LaMalfa is the one who's been calling it the "babysitters' bill".

Nice to see NBC lapping it up without even a pretense of objectivity. :sarcasm:

And now, the rest of the story:

http://www.domesticworkers.org/ca-bill-of-rights

The domestic worker industry is riddled with abuse, mistreatment, and labor violations. The mostly female and immigrant domestic workforce is particularly vulnerable due to the isolated nature of the industry, where women labor behind closed doors and out of the public eye. Furthermore, domestic workers are excluded from or discriminated against by most labor and employment laws. In fact, the exclusion of domestic workers from the National Labor Relations Act, means they are unprotected when asking for respect of their basic rights and are unable to collectively bargain for conditions allowing them to labor in dignity. California can level the playing field by enacting the following comprehensive bill of rights which seeks to eliminate discriminatory provisions in the labor code and grant domestic workers basic rights that other California workers gain through collective bargaining.

[Tumbulu]

2. but farm workers still wont get overtime until they have worked over 60 hrs.....