A well-known celebrity filmmaker and actor was recently sued by his (now former) personal chef for alleged wage/hour and discrimination violations. This lawsuit should serve as a stark reminder for those who employ domestic staff that there are both generally applicable employment laws and those specific to domestic workers that must be followed.
As just one example, employers in New York State of domestic workers may be subject to the “Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights” (available here: Labor Rights and Protections for Domestic Workers in New York (P712-English)), which among other things, provides for minimum wage/hour, paid time off, insurance, notice and other requirements.
The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs has also issued a Statement of Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities (Statement of Domestic or Household Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities), which summarizes certain obligations of employers of domestic staff.
Given the significant obligations imposed on employers of domestic staff and the potential for substantial adverse consequences for noncompliance, employers of such staff would be wise to contact legal counsel asap for a review of their employment practices so that they can head into the New Year confident that they are in compliance with applicable law.