Decent Work Deficit at its Peak among Female Domestic Workers’ Working Condition in Ethiopia

Abstract

This in-depth analysis squarely focuses on the working conditions of female domestic workers, investigating various facets of their daily work environment, including workload, working hours, rest days, and departure schedules. Grounded in a constructivist research philosophy, the study employs a cross-sectional qualitative research design to collect primary data, utilizing the convenience sampling method within the non-probability sampling framework. A diverse cohort of 32 respondents, comprising domestic workers, employers, parents, and stakeholders, participated in the study. The findings disclose that the working conditions of female domestic workers reveal a stark manifestation of exploitation and a power imbalance. The extended and erratic work hours indicate a notable imbalance in power dynamics, expressed by employer control over leave and rest days, limiting the autonomy of domestic workers and making them more susceptible to exploitation. The labor theory's concept illuminates the decent work deficit caused by the inconsistent and frequently excessive workload, insufficient remuneration, capricious deductions, salary withholding by employers, unpaid terminations, and financial instability faced by subjects. The study advocates for government and stakeholder interventions to champion the rights of domestic workers, accompanied by the implementation of targeted awareness-raising initiatives aimed at society and employers.