 |
|
6/9/2026
|
Assembly passes legislation to protect domestic workers from workplace discrimination
|
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly yesterday passed legislation introduced by Sen. Melissa Murray and Rep. Leonela Felix to give domestic workers the same protections under the Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA) as other Rhode Island workers.
“If a domestic worker experiences harassment in the workplace—for example if they are the target of a racial slur or fired because of their sexual orientation—they have no protection under FEPA because they are not even considered employees,” said Representative Felix (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket). “Domestic workers are just as much employees as any other workers in Rhode Island, and it is well past time to remove this exemption that leaves them vulnerable to discrimination that we first started to outlaw in 1949.”
Said Senator Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield), “A few years ago we removed the exemption that allowed domestic workers to be paid less than the minimum wage, and it is only fair that they also receive the same employment protections all other Rhode Island workers. A majority of domestic workers are women, many of them are people of color, so these protections are especially important. I am happy to see the long overdue repeal of this highly discriminatory exemption.”
The legislation (2026- H 8504, 2026-S 2921) now goes the governor for his consideration.
The issue was a top legislative priority of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. Legislative Director Erica Hammond testified to the House Labor Committee that “the history of this exclusion dates back to 1938, when domestic workers were originally excluded from the national Fair Labor Standards Act. This was a deliberate and in our opinion, racist, exclusion that followed the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow designed to exclude Black and immigrant women from labor protection. We believe this is long overdue and that this exemption should be taken off of Rhode Island’s books.”
The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights also submitted supportive testimony. Staff Attorney John Bogue wrote “The commission believes that all of Rhode Island’s workers, regardless of the type of work they do, deserve protection from employment discrimination and harassment. For this reason, the commission strongly urges the committee to pass this bill.”
Representative Felix successfully passed legislation two years ago that removed a similar exemption in state law that had allowed domestic workers to be paid less than the minimum wage.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
|
|