Employment in a private household
Clarify hiring, hours and duties in a relationship with specific rules.
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What to keep in mind
- Check the employer and registration, even for few hours.
- Actual work, presence and rest are different periods.
- Ending employment requires current grounds and formalities.
General guidance for employees in Spain. The collective agreement, employment relationship and circumstances can change the answer. Seek employment advice for a specific dispute or deadline.
Living in the home does not mean always being available
Distinguish direct employment by a household from employment by a service company. In household employment, agree duties, actual working time, presence time, rest and pay. Accommodation does not replace employment rights.
Actual work
Ordinary maximum of 40 hours a week in this special employment relationship. Define duties and schedule, including live-in work.
Agreed presence time
Agreed time available to the employer, which must be paid or compensated. Without equivalent rest compensation, maximum 20 hours weekly averaged over a month.
Protected rest
36 consecutive hours of weekly rest. Between shifts, 12 hours; live-in work may reduce this to 10, with compensation up to 12 within four weeks.
Check who employs you
Direct household employment has special rules. Working for a home-care company is not automatically the same relationship. Confirm the employer, duties, pay, hours and Social Security registration.
Separate work, presence and rest
Clarify actual working hours, agreed presence periods, rest and accommodation where relevant in writing. Living at the workplace does not mean permanent availability. Do not assume a verbal agreement permits any schedule.
Changes or termination
Termination must meet current grounds and formalities; it should not be presented as unrestricted dismissal without reason or rights. Keep documents and seek advice about notice, amounts and deadlines.
Explore a worked example
A live-in worker is called to attend to needs during hours shown as rest.
How to interpret it
Calling it rest does not make it rest if work must be performed. Clarify what work is being done and reorganise the periods.
A useful next step
Record times and incidents without disclosing household details and seek advice on conditions and necessary measures.
My preparation checklist
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