JOBLESSNESS AMONG DOMESTIC WORKER RESPONDENTS REMAINED STEADY AT 15% IN JULY
NEARLY 7 IN 10 RESPONDENTS WANTED MORE WORK
Domestic Workers Economic Situation Report · July 2024
Source: La Alianza surveys, NDWA
Released: August 6, 2024
The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Situation Report shows nonfarm payroll job growth was below market expectations, and the unemployment rate rose slightly. [1]
NDWA’s July data shows that joblessness for surveyed domestic workers remained steady at 15% in July. It remains higher than the rate of 9% who reported having no jobs before COVID-19. [2]
Domestic workers are the nannies, homecare workers, and house cleaners whose work is essential to our economy, yet they are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized workers. They work in private homes and often have multiple employers, meaning they may have to schedule several jobs to make ends meet. Domestic workers earn less than the average US worker and are three times as likely to be living in poverty. [3]
La Alianza survey data from Spanish-speaking domestic workers shows how respondents continue to face low wages and high levels of unemployment and underemployment.
July Jobs Report - Bureau of Labor Statistics
The BLS releases an Employment Situation Summary with employment and other labor market data each month. It’s an important report to keep track of how the economy is doing. However, domestic workers and other vulnerable workers are underrepresented in official data. [4] Here, we present an overview of the BLS Jobs report along with NDWA’s data, which shows the employment and economic situation of thousands of Spanish-speaking domestic workers.
On August 2, the BLS released new employment data for July 2024.
The number of jobs added was below market expectations.
The general unemployment rate increased slightly.
The unemployment rate for Latina women increased.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Black women decreased.
The unemployment rates for Black and Latinx adults continue to be higher compared to the rates for white adults.
Average hourly earnings for employees in private nonfarm payrolls increased.
In contrast to the unemployment rate increase among Latina women in the BLS data, NDWA’s July data shows no change in joblessness among surveyed Spanish-speaking domestic workers. While the share of joblessness for surveyed workers is not directly comparable to the unemployment rate nationwide,* looking at trends in the data for surveyed Spanish-speaking domestic workers in the context of national trends can support our understanding of the sector as it relates to the broader economy.
July Domestic Worker Economic Situation
Below are the main findings on the economic situation of surveyed Spanish-speaking domestic workers in July. Note that monthly numbers may be volatile, which is why we look at the findings as they relate to prior trends in the data and the economic situation of the overall economy. At the end of each quarter, we calculate quarterly averages for key economic indicators.
Jobs and Wages
Joblessness remained at 15% in July as it was in June.
Jobless has remained between 15% and 16% since March, after decreasing from 20% and 19% in the first two months of the year.
Underemployment worsened in July, increasing from 59% to 65%.
The main reason for underemployment reported was that workers could not find clients (60%), followed by having a health problem (14%), taking care of a family member (14%), and “other” (12%).
July underemployment is below the average in the first two quarters of 2024, 67% and 66%.
The wage distribution remained the same, 49% of working respondents earned less than $15 per hour in June and July.
This remains lower than any quarterly average since 2022.
About the surveys
NDWA surveys Spanish-speaking domestic workers via La Alianza, a Messenger chatbot. Starting in 2024, the survey has been sent every other week excluding office closures. At the end of each survey, La Alianza provides respondents with relevant news articles and resources in Spanish. To learn more about NDWA’s La Alianza survey of Spanish-speaking domestic workers, see the methodology section of this report.
In September 2023, the survey sample was expanded to increase the volume of responses and address survey fatigue. We learned that respondents newly added to the survey schedule reported lower joblessness on average compared to prior respondents. To reduce monthly volatility we updated the rotation groups in 2024 to more evenly distribute the newly added respondents across the survey schedule.
The numbers presented in this report include data from one survey in July. The total number of fully completed surveys was 1,157. Due to technical difficulties with the survey tool, we were unable to administer our second scheduled survey in July, which included questions regarding economic security - food scarcity, housing insecurity, and ability to afford regular household expenses.
For questions or feedback, please contact us here.
Notes
1 Barron’s (2024), U.S. Added Fewer-Than-Expected 114,000 Jobs, Unemployment Jumped
2 NDWA Labs (2020), 6 Months in Crisis: The Impact of COVID-19 on Domestic Workers
3 Economic Policy Institute (2022), Domestic Workers Chartbook
4 Kopparam (2022), What federal statistical agencies can do to improve survey response rates among Hispanic communities in the United States
* Unlike unemployment rates, joblessness for domestic workers may include people who are not working but are currently unavailable to work, or not actively looking for jobs. Additionally, the NDWA’s joblessness rate for surveyed domestic workers is not seasonally adjusted, while BLS unemployment rates are adjusted.