Gaceta Sanitaria
Volume 28, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 109-115

Perceptions of female immigrant domestic workers on the effects of the sector regulation in Spain [Percepción de las trabajadoras inmigrantes del servicio doméstico sobre los efectos de la regulación del sector en España] (Article) (Open Access)

Briones Vozmediano E.* , Agudelo Suárez A.A. , López Jacob M.J. , Vives Cases C. , Ballester Laguna F. , Ronda Pérez E.
  • a Universidad de Alicante, Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Alicante, Spain
  • b Universidad de Alicante, Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Alicante, Spain, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia, Centro de Investigación en Salud Laboral (CISAL), Barcelona, Spain
  • c Centro de Investigación en Salud Laboral (CISAL), Barcelona, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
  • d Universidad de Alicante, Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Alicante, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
  • e Universidad de Alicante, Departamento de Derecho del Trabajo y Seguridad Social, Alicante, Spain
  • f Universidad de Alicante, Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Alicante, Spain, Centro de Investigación en Salud Laboral (CISAL), Barcelona, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain

Abstract

Objective: To examine the perceptions of female immigrant domestic workers of the effect of Royal Decree 1620/2011, which regulates the relationship of domestic workers in the family home and their employment conditions in Spain. Methods: An exploratory study was performed using qualitative content analysis of three focus group discussions with immigrant women from Colombia, Ecuador and Morocco. Results: Immigrant women positively assessed the theoretical benefits of the new regulation, but identified legal and economic barriers to obtaining a contract and being registered in the social security system by their employers, and to employers accepting the cost of these measures, especially for workers hired by the hour. These difficulties affected their possibilities of legalizing their status. The economic crisis posed a serious challenge to compliance with the new regulation. Conclusions: Although the new regime encourages job creation with stronger working rights for these workers, immigrant women perceived that its implementation has been hampered by the current financial crisis and has not, therefore, improved their employment conditions. © 2013 SESPAS.

Author Keywords

qualitative research Domestic service Spain Immigration Legislation

Index Keywords

Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female Humans hospital service employment legislation and jurisprudence middle aged Housekeeping human adult migrant Women, Working attitude
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84897618518&doi=10.1016%2fj.gaceta.2013.06.011&partnerID=40&md5=585adf7e833e9f5ae56f8e674d82a77c
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2013.06.011
ISSN: 02139111
Cited by: 6
Original Language: Estonian