Domestic workers: equality is now law.

Two dates have entered Brazilian history regarding equal rights. On April 2nd, the Equality Law was enacted, extending all labor rights to domestic workers. Now, on May 6th, rights that still lacked regulation were added.

The new law is an initiative of the National Congress in pursuit of a more just and egalitarian country. Given the scope and relevance of the new legislation, I stated that we were sealing the last Brazilian slave quarters. The disregard for labor rights in this sector was one of the last vestiges of slavery.

This was a commitment that I, as President of the Congress, made to the entire category, through the President of the Domestic Workers Federation, Creuza Maria de Oliveira, a symbol of the fight for equality.

In regulating the law, the Senate was responsible for maintaining all rights and simplifying the employment relationship, while observing specificities common to this type of employment contract.

In just two months, the regulations were negotiated with labor unions, labor courts, and the government. Creative solutions were proposed, primarily to avoid the fear of mass layoffs.

The employer will contribute 8% to the INSS (Brazilian Social Security Institute) and the same percentage to the Guarantee Fund (FGTS). The 4% difference between the current 12% INSS contribution and the new 8% rate will be collected as follows: 3,2% for a dismissal fund and 0,8% for accident insurance.

The severance fund balance will go to the employee if the dismissal is without just cause. Dismissals for just cause or at the employee's request result in the fund being returned to the employer.

The regulation also establishes an agreement for the creation of a time bank and the control of working hours through a time clock. The hiring of individuals under 18 years of age for these positions will also be prohibited.

More than just social justice, Brazil is fulfilling a commitment made in 2011 with the International Labour Organization: to eliminate from the Brazilian Constitution the unequal and unfair treatment given to domestic workers.

Today there are more than seven million domestic workers, 90% of whom are women. Only one and a half million of them have INSS (Brazilian Social Security) benefits and only 100 have FGTS (Brazilian Severance Indemnity Fund) accounts. With the new law, it is expected that more than 2 million jobs will be formalized. They should generate an extra 2,5 billion reais in revenue for INSS and another 2,5 billion reais for FGTS. If the goal is equality, equality must begin at home.