Domestic workers' rights: wages, safety and where to get help
Rights of maids, cooks, nannies and drivers under the labour codes, POSH and child labour law; e-Shram registration; and where to complain.
In short
- Domestic work is work. Check your state's minimum wage for domestic workers, and keep a record of every payment.
- Register free on the e-Shram portal or at a Common Service Centre to get an unorganised worker card and access to schemes.
- Sexual harassment in a home is covered by the POSH Act. Complain to the district's Local Committee, generally within 3 months.
- No one can keep your Aadhaar, phone or wages to stop you from leaving. That can be forced labour, a crime. Call 112.
- A child below 14 working in a home: call 1098.
You cook, clean, look after children or an elderly parent, or drive for a family. Perhaps you work in four houses a day, or live in one. Are you entitled to a minimum wage? A day off? What can you do if you are not paid, or if someone in the house harasses you? This guide is for domestic workers, and for employers who want to do the right thing.
Who is a domestic worker
A domestic worker is anyone who does household work in a private home for wages: full-time, part-time, live-in, or employed through a placement agency. This includes cooks, cleaners, nannies, caregivers, drivers and gardeners. The law protects you whether you work in one house or many.
As of 2026 there is no single national law just for domestic workers. But several laws already apply, and some states have their own welfare boards and wage notifications.
Your rights under current law
- Minimum wages. The Code on Wages, 2019, in force since 21 November 2025, applies to employees broadly. Many states have notified minimum wages for domestic work, often by the hour or by task. Rates vary by state, so check your State Labour Department's notification.
- Equal pay. The same Code forbids paying anyone less for the same or similar work because of gender.
- Social security. The Code on Social Security, 2020 treats domestic workers as unorganised workers who can be covered by government welfare schemes. Some states, such as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, have welfare boards that give registered domestic workers benefits like maternity help, scholarships for children or pensions. Benefits differ by state.
- Freedom from sexual harassment. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) expressly covers domestic workers, and a private home is a "workplace" under it. Because a household has no internal committee, you complain to the Local Committee set up by the District Officer in every district.
- No child labour. Under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, employing a child below 14 in any household is prohibited and punishable.
- No forced labour. Locking a worker in, withholding wages to force them to stay, or taking away identity documents can amount to bonded or forced labour, which is a crime. Trafficking a person for domestic work is an offence under Sec 143 BNS. The Constitution forbids forced labour under Art 23.
- Violence and abuse. Beating, threats, confinement or sexual assault by an employer are crimes like any other. You can report them at any police station.
Step by step: registering on e-Shram
- Keep your Aadhaar card, the mobile number linked to it, and your bank passbook ready.
- Go to the e-Shram portal of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (eshram.gov.in), or visit a Common Service Centre (CSC) near you if you need help. Registration is free.
- Enter your Aadhaar and verify with the OTP. Fill in your occupation as domestic worker, your address and bank details.
- Download or print your e-Shram card with its Universal Account Number. Keep a copy with someone you trust.
- Also ask your local labour office or union whether your state has a domestic workers' welfare board, and register there for state benefits.
Step by step: if your wages are not paid
- Keep a record. A small notebook of the days you worked, hours, wages received and any advances. Ask to be paid into your own bank account or by UPI; it creates proof.
- Ask in writing or by message. A WhatsApp message stating the months and amount due is itself useful evidence.
- Go to the labour officer. Complain to the labour officer or Assistant Labour Commissioner in your district. Under the Code on Wages, claims for unpaid wages can generally be filed within three years. A domestic workers' union can help you file.
- Get free legal help: 15100 or your District Legal Services Authority.
If you face sexual harassment
Write a complaint to the Local Committee through the District Officer (usually the District Magistrate, or an officer the state has named, often in the Women and Child Development department). File within three months of the incident; the committee can extend this for good reason. For a domestic worker, if the committee finds a case on the face of it, it forwards the complaint to the police to register an FIR. You can also go directly to the police, and women can call 181 for help.
Lakshmi worked as a live-in cook in Gurugram for eight months. The family paid her irregularly and kept her Aadhaar card "for safety". When she said she wanted to leave, they refused to return it and said they would deduct three months' salary. Lakshmi called her union, which helped her call 112. The police had her documents and belongings returned the same day. With the union's help, she then filed a wage claim before the labour officer, using her notebook and UPI records as proof.
Keep these ready
- Copies of your Aadhaar, bank passbook and e-Shram card, with a trusted family member.
- Your notebook of days worked, hours and payments.
- Bank or UPI records, and messages about pay or work.
- The employer's name, address and phone number, and the agency's details if you were placed through one.
- For harassment: dates, what happened, and names of anyone who saw or heard.
Never hand over your original Aadhaar, passport or phone to an employer or agency. A photocopy is enough for verification. If you are going to another city through an agent, tell your family the agent's name and phone number and the address where you will work.
Where to go
- Emergency, violence or confinement: 112, or the nearest police station.
- Unpaid wages: the labour officer of your district; online on samadhan.labour.gov.in; or a domestic workers' union.
- Sexual harassment: the Local Committee through the District Officer; women's helpline 181; the SHe-Box portal (shebox.wcd.gov.in).
- Child domestic workers: 1098.
- Registration for schemes: e-Shram or your nearest Common Service Centre.
- Free legal aid: 15100 or your District Legal Services Authority (nalsa.gov.in).
Common questions
Is there a minimum wage for domestic workers?
Many states have notified minimum wages for domestic work, often by the hour or task, and the Code on Wages applies to employees broadly. Rates vary by state, so check your State Labour Department's latest notification or ask a domestic workers' union.
Does the sexual harassment law apply to maids working in homes?
Yes. The POSH Act, 2013 expressly covers domestic workers and treats a private home as a workplace. Complain to the Local Committee in your district, generally within three months; the committee can forward the case to the police for an FIR.
Can my employer keep my Aadhaar card or stop me from leaving?
No. Keeping your documents or wages to force you to stay can amount to forced or bonded labour, which is a crime. You have the right to leave. Call 112 if you are stopped or confined, and you can claim unpaid wages afterwards.
How do I register as a domestic worker for government schemes?
Register free on the e-Shram portal or at a Common Service Centre with your Aadhaar, linked mobile number and bank account. You get an e-Shram card. Also check whether your state has a domestic workers' welfare board with its own registration.
This article is general information for awareness, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an advocate or call free legal aid at 15100.
