Ghana's New Labour Regulations for Employment of Domestic Workers

August 11, 2021

Parliament recently passed the Labour (Domestic Workers’) Regulations, 2020 (LI 2408) to define the employment relationship between a domestic worker and his/her employer and to protect the rights of domestic workers.

Specifically, the regulations require the employer of a domestic worker to enter into a written contract of employment with the worker and to deposit the contract with the appropriate District Labour Officer within one month of employment. The conditions of service including, work hours, rest periods, overtime work, leave period, responsibilities required of the worker, and payment must be stated in the contract.

Under the regulations, the wages of a domestic worker must not be less than the National Daily Minimum Wage, and the employer must make Social Security contributions in respect of the domestic worker. In addition, a domestic worker is entitled to a daily rest period of at least eight consecutive hours, a weekly rest period of at least twenty-four hours and a minimum of 15 working days annual leave with full pay.

With the implementation of these new regulations, it is expected that domestic worker abuse and indecent conditions of service will decrease considerably.

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