In and Outs of Domestic Help
 Alan Caplan - Edmonton Sun
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| | Inexpensive labour in Mexico is quickly becoming a thing of the past | | |
Bucerias, Mexico - As I watched the icy, snowy blasts hit Edmonton this past week, I had mixed emotions.
While I truly feel empathy for you folks stuck in the Arctic chill, I'm looking it at through rosier glasses from a far warmer, southern viewpoint. Although, in only about 10 days, I'll have to suck it up, too.
PLENTY OF INTEREST
Usually, columns about living in Mexico generate a high level of enquiry in my email inbox. And I like hearing from you.
Since our housekeeper, Alejandrina (Alex), just arrived, as she does for three hours, six days a week, I thought it might be interesting to look at one of the greatest perks available in this country: Domestic help.
Although Mexico has come a long way economically in the past few years, labour rates are still relatively inexpensive for maids and gardeners.
Minimum wage here is somewhere around $7 to $10 for a full day, depending on the state you live in. Domestic employees usually make a bit more than that.
However, the days of penny-pinching are subsiding.
Partly, it's from inflation in the mid-'90s, and in a more effective way more recently, through legislated social reform.
Labour laws to protect domestic employees are now in place.
Before, casually hiring Juanita next door to do the breakfast dishes and mop up two or three days a week was simply an unofficial arrangement. No longer, even though, on the surface, it doesn't look like that at all.
Many domestics do work "under the table" (and you thought Canada had the only underground economy?), especially those who work part-time for multiple homeowners.
BINDING CONTRACT
However, now, after a three-month probationary period, an employee becomes your responsibility under a binding, enforceable legal contract, written or not.
Any good Mexican labour lawyer can make the lack of tending to some simple precautions cost the employer money when a discontented employee makes a complaint.
So, it's best to write a formal one-year, renewable contract that includes the three-month probationary period, lists the duties, days and hours to be worked, pay rate and the day each week you'll pay your employee. Then, have the worker sign it and sign for each pay packet received.
Social security benefits are available for health insurance and retirement income.
The employee may decline and may sign off.
It's possible that another employer is covering it for them or that the employee doesn't want to shoulder their portion of the cost.
But if it's not signed off, you still may be on the hook.
Even if you don't supply social insurance health benefits, you'll still be responsible should the employee contract a major disease or injuries while on the job.
The law provides a standard maximum eight-hour day up to 40 hours a week.
There are paid statutory holidays, but fewer than you may think. Most religious holidays, Good Friday and Christmas day for instance, in this, a mainly Roman Catholic country, aren't on the official list.
The employee can, however, negotiate some extra days with you in the written contract. And, if the employee works a statutory or negotiated holiday, it's at double time for the day.
There's also a formalized Christmas bonus to account for. Full-time employees get 15 days' pay, payable annually by Dec. 20.
For part-timers it's a bit more flexible, but the rule of thumb is about two-weeks' pay.
In addition, every employee is entitled to a six-day paid vacation in the first year.
Two days per additional year worked are added as time accumulates and the contract is renewed.
A GREAT SYSTEM
So, it sounds a little complicated, but once the mini-details get worked out, it's a great system.
acaplanatcba(at)hotmail.com |
Vallarta Weddings
Vallarta Living | February 2008 
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