Chicago Mandates Employers to Have Written Contract with Home Care Workers

​Chicago employers of domestic workers must provide workers, including home care workers, with a written contact beginning January 1, 2022, under a new ordinance enacted by the Chicago City Council. The ordinance applies to businesses and individuals in Chicago that employ “domestic workers,” including persons whose primary duties include housekeeping, nanny services, caregiving, personal care, or home health services. The contract, which must be written in the worker’s primary languages as requested by the worker, must include the wage and the work schedule agreed upon by the employer and the domestic worker.

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The contract should be reviewed and signed in person by the worker, the employer, and a witness. The contract can be printed or be provided in a printable communication in physical or electronic format, such as an e-mail. Contracts should be reviewed annually and when there is a change to the job description or scope of work (e.g., the birth of another child, additional household chores/tasks).
 
All Chicago worker protections are enforced by the BACP Office of Labor Standards (OLS).
 
HCAOA is working with legal counsel to develop a sample contract for members’ use and to provide additional details on the ordinance. Although this ordinance only affects agencies in Chicago, there is a possibility that other surrounding counties may issue similar ordinances. 
 
Stay tuned for additional support from HCAOA.