WORK CONDITIONS AND EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP OF DOMESTIC WORKERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the employment relationship and working conditions of domestic workers in Lagos State Nigeria. The research study adopted survey method; structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 120 domestic workers selected through stratified random sampling technique out of population of 598 domestic workers registered with Federation of Informal Workers’ Organisation, Lagos State. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data collected. The descriptive analysis showed that 12.5% of the respondents were doing the work out of constraints, 27.5% because of ominous family responsibilities. Also, the data on the treatment of domestic worker by their employers shows that, 19.2% of the respondents indicated they suffer insults and abuses, 10.8% did not have good accommodation. The majority of the respondents 22.5% indicated that they eat overstayed food, 8.3% indicated that their employers did not care when they were sick, 11.7% did not receive salary on time. Also, 8.3% indicated that they are sexually harassed by their employers and members of their households. The results indicated poor working conditions and decent work deficit suffered by domestic workers. The study thus concluded that that poor employment relationship exists between the domestic workers and their employers leading to exploitation, subjugation and maltreatment of domestic workers by their employers. The study therefore, recommended that the government should regulate employment relationship to protect domestic workers from undue exploitation by their employers.