This report summarizes 2,889 responses to seven biweekly surveys conducted among Spanish-speaking domestic workers in the second quarter of 2025 (April-June). It explores key concerns related to basic needs, employment situation, job quality, psychological well-being, and worker voice.
About Domestic Work
Domestic workers are the nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers that make all other work possible. They care for our children, bring order to our homes, and ensure our loved ones receive the assistance they need to live with dignity and independence in their homes.
Despite their essential contributions to our economy, domestic workers are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized workers. They earn less than the average US worker and are three times as likely to be living in poverty, often relying on several jobs across multiple employers to make ends meet1.
Key Survey Findings – Q2 2025
- 81% of respondents reported food scarcity at home for the second consecutive quarter.
- Nearly half of all respondents (49%) missed rent or mortgage payments.
- 46% of respondents earned $14 or less per hour, compared to 44% earlier this year. Domestic worker respondents also reported fewer working hours compared to the first quarter of 2025 despite 63% of respondents expressing a desire for more work.
- 82% of domestic worker respondents expressed concern about their health and safety at work, and 34% reported experiencing unjust or disrespectful treatment.
- Only 6% of respondents said they had a written contract that includes paid time off, and more than half felt very or somewhat uncomfortable asking for a sick day.
- More than half of domestic worker respondents (51%) reported poor psychological well-being, according to the well-being score threshold suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO)2. This represents a significant increase from the 43% with reported poor psychological well-being in 2024.
- When asked to describe their voice in the workplace, domestic worker respondents reported having less say than they believe they ought to have in almost all workplace issues. The largest voice gaps were in regards to wages and working conditions.
Read the Report