A groundbreaking new hotline entitled: ‘New Day New Standard,’ is educating domestic workers and nannies about the critical protections won by the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, including minimum and overtime wages, paying your taxes, as well as arming them with life-saving information for getting out of trafficking and avoiding scams.
With school back in session, nannies are returning to full-time work; so I thought a piece designed to educate employers and help nannies avoid scams and put money back in their pockets (thousands of dollars) for free would be of interest.
Fall is the season when thousands of nannies, babysitters, housekeepers, and eldercare workers are rehired—but did you know that currently one out of every 5 nannies earns under New York State’s $7.25 minimum wage. Countless more don’t know they’re eligible for time-and-a-half overtime pay and at least one day of rest per week.
That’s why the New Day New Standard campaign is urging nannies to call this new, free hotline- so they can get what’s rightfully theirs.
An aggressive new effort is helping the city’s 200,000 nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers collect little-known benefits worth thousands of dollars- while avoiding dangerous threats and scams.
Called “New Day New Standard” the groundbreaking new interactive hotline partnering with MIT’s Center for Civic Media is educating nannies and their employers about the critical protections won by the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (minimum and overtime wages) as well as arming them with other life-saving information for getting out of trafficking, and avoiding common scams.
The law was a major victory that protects the rights of a huge swath of NYC workers. The problem is that nobody knows about it – and according to one recent survey, 60 percent of employers were in violation of the new law.
This new hotline is providing nannies with much-needed info on minimum wage, overtime and other rights in an accessible and innovative way. Currently, 20% of nannies, many of whom are from Trinidad, earn under the minimum wage, and most people simply don’t know that they’re violating the working rights of domestic workers.
Meanwhile, REV-, a media arts and social justice non-profit has created a free hotline (646-699-3989) that informs nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers of their rights so they can get what’s rightfully theirs.
In New York, there are laws in place that protect workers, but nobody knows about it. According to one recent survey, 60 percent of employers in Park Slope, Brooklyn, were in violation of the law. That’s why it’s more important than ever for domestic workers to know their rights and collect benefits that could be worth thousands of dollars.
Here is the link: www.rev-it.org/projects/newday.htm You may listen to the hotline online through that link, which tells the story about workers who are getting informed about their rights and empowered by the availability of information on minimum wage, overtime, and vacation; or call the hotline at (646) 699-3989 for more information.
Warmest Regards,
Marisa Jahn
Executive director of REV.
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