WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Do countries guarantee domestic workers access to paid maternal leave?

Domestic work is defined by the ILO’s C189 Domestic Workers Convention as work performed in or for a household or households within an employment relationship. It is estimated that over 80% of domestic workers are engaged in informal employment globally; a small number of countries extend guarantees to paid leave to “informal workers” and those countries are included in this category as well. This indicator reflects provisions in national labor and social security legislation and does not reflect provisions specific to non-citizen migrant domestic workers.

Paid maternal leave includes both paid maternity leave, which is leave reserved for mothers of infants, and paid shared parental leave—which is leave available to either parent of an infant—that can be taken by women.

Domestic workers excluded from paid leave means that a country’s labor and/or social security legislation explicitly excludes domestic workers from rights and entitlements broadly, or specifically from paid maternal leave. This includes countries with national guarantees to paid maternal leave which only extend unpaid maternal leave to domestic workers. It also includes countries with legislative loopholes that exclude workers at small enterprises (e.g. enterprises with fewer than 5 employees).

Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusions based domestic work means that workers are guaranteed national paid maternal leave, and legislation does not explicitly guarantee nor deny coverage to domestic workers. This category also includes countries which have ratified the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention but do not include explicit guarantees to domestic workers in their national legislation. Additionally, this category includes a limited number of cases where legislation states that future legislation or regulations will determine the extent to which existing provisions apply to domestic workers.

Guaranteed to domestic workers means that legislation explicitly extends at least some paid maternal leave benefits to domestic workers—this includes cases where available benefits are less generous than those available to other workers in the private sector. It also includes countries where legislation includes a minimum hourly threshold that domestic workers must meet in order to be eligible for paid maternal leave.

Countries

Marshall Islands - No national paid maternal leave

Micronesia, Federated States of - No national paid maternal leave

Nauru - No national paid maternal leave

Palau - No national paid maternal leave

Papua New Guinea - No national paid maternal leave

Tonga - No national paid maternal leave

United States of America - No national paid maternal leave

Albania - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Bahrain - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Bangladesh - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Brunei - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Dominica - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Dominican Republic - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Egypt - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

India - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Japan - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Republic of Korea - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Kuwait - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Lebanon - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Malaysia - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Oman - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Qatar - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Saudi Arabia - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Sudan - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Syria - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Türkiye - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

United Arab Emirates - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Yemen - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Zambia - Domestic workers excluded from paid leave

Afghanistan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Algeria - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Andorra - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Angola - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Antigua and Barbuda - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Armenia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Australia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Bahamas - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Barbados - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Botswana - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Bulgaria - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Canada - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Central African Republic - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Chad - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Chile - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

China - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Comoros - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Croatia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Cuba - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Cyprus - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Czech Republic - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Denmark - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Djibouti - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Eritrea - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Estonia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Ethiopia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Gabon - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

The Gambia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Georgia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Germany - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Greece - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Greenland - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Grenada - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Guinea-Bissau - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Guyana - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Hungary - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Iceland - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Indonesia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Iraq - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Israel - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Jordan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Kiribati - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Laos - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Latvia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Lesotho - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Liberia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Liechtenstein - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Lithuania - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Luxembourg - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

North Macedonia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Malawi - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Maldives - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Malta - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Moldova - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Monaco - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Montenegro - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

The Netherlands - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

New Zealand - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Niger - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Nigeria - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Pakistan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Poland - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Romania - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Russian Federation - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Rwanda - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Samoa - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Serbia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Sierra Leone - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Singapore - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Slovakia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Slovenia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Somalia - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

South Sudan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Sri Lanka - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

St. Kitts and Nevis - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Suriname - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Sweden - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Switzerland - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Tajikistan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Uganda - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Ukraine - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

United Kingdom - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Vanuatu - Guaranteed to workers generally, no exclusion based on domestic work

Argentina - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Austria - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Belarus - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Belgium - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Belize - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Benin - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Bhutan - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Bolivia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Brazil - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Burkina Faso - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Burundi - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Cambodia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Cameroon - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Cabo Verde - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Colombia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Costa Rica - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Ecuador - Guaranteed to domestic workers

El Salvador - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Equatorial Guinea - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Fiji - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Finland - Guaranteed to domestic workers

France - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Ghana - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Guatemala - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Guinea - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Haiti - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Honduras - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Iran - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Ireland - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Italy - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Jamaica - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Kenya - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Libya - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Madagascar - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mali - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mauritania - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mauritius - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mexico - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mongolia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Morocco - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Mozambique - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Myanmar - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Namibia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Nepal - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Nicaragua - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Norway - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Panama - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Paraguay - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Peru - Guaranteed to domestic workers

The Philippines - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Portugal - Guaranteed to domestic workers

San Marino - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Sao Tome and Principe - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Senegal - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Seychelles - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Solomon Islands - Guaranteed to domestic workers

South Africa - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Spain - Guaranteed to domestic workers

St. Lucia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Eswatini - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Tanzania - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Thailand - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Togo - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Trinidad and Tobago - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Tunisia - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Tuvalu - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Uruguay - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Venezuela - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Vietnam - Guaranteed to domestic workers

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed to domestic workers