Domestic Worker Salaries In Namibia

Who is a Domestic Worker?

A domestic worker is a person who works within the scope of a residence. The term “domestic service” applies to the equivalent occupational category. In traditional English contexts, such a person was said to be “in service”. A person working as domestic worker in Namibia typically earn at NAD1,564.39 and NAD9.03 per hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of domestic workers in Namibia?

Domestic work is defined as “work performed in or for a household or households” (ILO Convention 189). Domestic work is therefore defined according to the workplace, which is the private household. Broadly speaking, domestic workers provide personal and household care.

What are the duties of a domestic worker in Namibia?

• caring for young children.
• collecting children from school or nursery school.
• baby-sitting.
• feeding and caring for pets.
• light garden duties.
• light sewing or mending.
• arranging flowers.

What are the types of domestic workers in Namibia?

Live-in domestic workers are those who reside in the house where they perform their work while live-out workers live outside their place of work. The other categories are full time, part time, child domestic workers, bonded/forced labour, and migrant workers including au pair.

Who falls under domestic worker in Namibia?

A domestic worker is a gardener, driver or person who looks after children, the aged, sick, frail or disabled in a private household, but not on a farm. The employer must verbally explain the notice to the domestic worker if he/she is not able to understand it in written form.

Why are domestic workers important in Namibia?

Domestic work provides an important livelihood source for illiterate women or those with very little education. Domestic workers are often exploited at the hands of the so called placement agencies that lure workers from the rural areas to the cities, promising them lucrative salary, lifestyle and benefits.

Where are domestic workers mainly found in Namibia?

Most of the domestic workers are migrants who have come from rural to urban areas in search of livelihood opportunities. A substantial number of women in the rural areas migrate to the urban areas for the sake of employment due to lack of education and job skills.

Are domestic workers allowed to go out in Namibia?

In line with the rest of the community, foreign domestic workers ( FDWs ) should stay at home during Phase One, including on their rest days. FDWs can go out to run essential errands and buy meals and they should return home immediately thereafter. FDWs who spend their rest days at home should not be asked to work.

Do domestic workers get bonuses in Namibia?

Legally, an employer is not required to pay any bonus to a domestic worker at all, and the bonus amount is completely at the discretion of the employer, says Janit.  Make sure that your employees know that you are not obliged to provide a bonus.

Why is domestic work bad in Namibia?

Live-in domestic workers experience more isolation, less privacy and more limited mobility, work longer hours, and receive a larger share of payments in kind (such as board). Living conditions are frequently poor. They are also more vulnerable to physical/sexual abuse by employers.

What is the life of domestic workers in Namibia?

The lives of domestic workers are full of hardships. They do a lot of work in then employer’s house. They sweep and clean, wash clothes and dishes, cook different varieties of food, look after young children or the elderly. Their day usually begins at five in the early morning and ends at twelve in the night.

What does domestic use only mean in Namibia?

Domestic use means those water uses common to a household, including washing, drinking, bathing, waste disposal, cooling and heating, domestic animals, and garden and landscape irrigation. Domestic use means the use of water for the individual personal household purposes of drinking, bathing, cooking, or sanitation.

What does it mean when a woman is domestic in Namibia?

Domestic is defined as something related to the home or family, something occurring within a country, an animal that has been tamed, or a person who is fond of the tasks of running a home. A woman who likes to cook and clean and bake is an example of someone who is domestic.

Is it compulsory to pay bonus in Namibia?

Unlike incentive bonus, which is an ex gratia payment, Statutory bonus is a compulsory payment by law. Payment of statutory bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act is not a matter of choice of the employer but rather a matter of right of the employee.

Do domestic workers get paid for public holidays in Namibia?

An employer must pay a domestic worker for a public holiday on the domestic worker’s normal pay day.

How much annual leave is a domestic worker entitled to in Namibia?

A domestic worker is entitled to a paid annual leave after every 12 months with the same employer. The first 2 years, the number of holidays are 7, after which one more day is added, with the maximum days capped at 14.

How many hours does a casual domestic worker work in Namibia?

The employee may not work more than 45 ordinary hours per week. Anything over these ordinary 45 hours is considered overtime and must be paid as such. No more than 3 hours overtime may be worked on a normal 9 hour work day (in other words, your employee, with overtime, cannot work more than 12 hours per day).