Seoul City is set to create guidelines to reduce disputes over the confusing scope of duties for domestic workers, such as cleaning, laundry, and childcare. The city also plans to improve their working environment by supporting customized health checkups for these workers.

According to Seoul City's '3rd Basic Labor Policy Plan' announced on August 13, the city will develop guidelines containing instructions on service agreements to both protect the rights of house managers and provide users with tailored services.

Confusing Scope of Work Including Cleaning, Laundry, and Childcare

Seoul City Clearly Distinguishes Standard Services and Paid Services

Customized Health Checkup Service for House Managers Newly Established

The guidelines will clearly define basic domestic services such as cleaning, dishwashing, and disposal of separated waste, and distinguish them from paid services that require specialized qualifications, such as childcare. A city official explained, "There have been conflicts at worksites, such as when house managers are sent for cleaning but the household requests additional childcare. We plan to establish guidelines to clarify the scope of work and ensure both parties are fully aware of these boundaries."

With the standardization of duties through these guidelines, the wide variation in domestic service fees among different providers is also expected to narrow. Until now, domestic service fees have been calculated using simple metrics such as service hours or area. According to the city, the average hourly fee for domestic services ranged from a minimum of 12,500 won to a maximum of 20,000 won. In a 2023 survey on the working conditions of domestic workers in Seoul, 72% of house managers responded that the quality and quantity of job-related training varied by company size, indicating a need for job standardization.

The guidelines produced by Seoul City will be distributed as training materials for small-scale domestic service companies. Additionally, the city plans to create and distribute an 'Etiquette Book' to encourage users of domestic services to treat house managers with respect.

원본보기 아이콘

Furthermore, considering that most house managers are women over 50 years old and are subject to physically demanding labor, the city will also introduce a 'customized health checkup' program. According to a 2021 survey on the labor rights and perception of mutual aid among domestic workers, 39.4% of house managers experienced lower back pain, and 69.3% suffered from muscle pain in the shoulders, neck, or arms. These rates are more than 20 percentage points higher than the respective rates of 19.8% and 43.8% among all workers. While the government provides occupation-specific health checkup subsidies for some special types of workers, such as delivery drivers and sanitation workers, domestic workers have been excluded.

In response, the city will offer a customized health program to house managers aged 50 to 69, who live or work in Seoul, are affiliated with government-certified service providers, and whose income is within 100% of the median income. The program will provide annual support for the costs of examinations, education, and treatment, with a focus on musculoskeletal disorders. A city official stated, "A small-scale pilot project for the customized health checkup will be conducted in the second half of this year, and the program will be fully launched next year alongside the house manager guidelines."