Berlin – October 28, 2026 -- More than 80 percent of domestic workers worldwide labor without a contract or social protection, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). A commentary in the German daily nd.DerTag calls this a structural feature of an economy that devalues female employment, and demands binding rules from governments.
Informal domestic work leaves millions without health or pension cover
The commentary argues that Germany is no exception. It says households delegate cleaning and care work to migrant women while debating work-life balance. The millions of mostly informal workers cannot upskill or pay into health or pension insurance, which the commentary says leads directly to old-age poverty.
It also says constitutional privacy protection has for years served as grounds to refuse workplace inspections behind apartment doors.
Service voucher schemes in France and Belgium serve as the policy template
The commentary backs state-subsidized service vouchers on the French or Belgian model to encourage formal employment and simplify registration. It sets a condition: vouchers must be tied to good wages and full insurance coverage. Otherwise they merely subsidize cheap domestic labor.
Uruguay offers a broader model with binding wage talks and a state care system
The commentary cites Uruguay as the more far-reaching example. The country combines binding negotiations on wages and working conditions with a state-integrated care system.
ILO delegates meet in Montevideo in November
The ILO convenes in Montevideo in November. The commentary urges delegates to go beyond non-binding appeals and to treat private households as workplaces with fair wages and social security.