PH Consulate General in Chicago Hosts Forum on Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights

Members of the Chicago Consular Corps, Illinois officials and workers’ rights advocates who took part in the forum on Illinois Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Seated from left: Consular Officer Amanda Slone, Australia; Nettie Lasko, Community Relations Officer, Illinois Attorney General’s Office; Jane Flanagan, Chief of Workplace Rights Bureau, Illinois Attorney General’s Office; Dean of Chicago Consular Corps and Consul General Patricia Maza-Pittsford, El Salvador; Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin, Philippines; Karina Lopez, Ecuador; Militza Pagan, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law; Sarai Jarquin, Mexico; and Consul Karla Garcia, Honduras. Standing from left:  Honorary Consul General Marvin Brustin, Nepal; Consul General Billy A. Munoz, Guatemala; Benno Weisberg, General Counsel, Illinois Department of Labor; Consul Fajar Yusuf, Indonesia; Consul Igor Bodnar, Ukraine; Vice Consul Juan Salamanca, El Salvador; Michael Aguhar, Executive Director of AFIRE; DCG Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr.; and Consular Agent Jaime Ulloa, Honduras. (Photo courtesy of Arnel Santiago, Chicago PCG)

CHICAGO 04 May 2018 – The Consulate General of the Philippines last Thursday hosted a forum on the Illinois Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights with relevant state officials, members of the Chicago Consular Corps and workers’ rights advocates.

Ms. Jane Flanagan, Chief of the Workplace Rights Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Mr. Benno Weisberg, General Counsel of the Illinois Department of Labor, spoke on the background of Illinois Workplace Rights’ Protections and the status of implementation of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, respectively.

Also invited to provide their perspective, experiences and concerns from the grassroots and community level, especially advocacy organizations that pushed for the passage of the law, were Mr. Michael Aguhar, Executive Director of the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment, and Ms. Militza Pagan, Attorney at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. They also shared possible resources for any victims who might complain of violations under the Bill of Rights.

The forum was organized through the joint effort of Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin and Consul General Patricia Maza-Pittsford of El Salvador, Dean of the Chicago Consular Corps.

The briefing and presentations from the Illinois officials and the roundtable discussion that ensued provided an opportunity to heighten awareness and understanding of the one-year old law among the consular corps, for the benefit of both domestic workers and employers in their respective ethnic communities.

The law defines “domestic workers” as including “housekeepers, housecleaners, nannies, caregivers and home health care providers for the elderly and persons with disabilities and individuals who provide other household service in or about a private home such as laundry, cooking and chauffeuring.” It does not apply, however, to family members, persons employed doing any of these domestic tasks for less than eight hours per workweek or legitimate sole proprietors and independent contractors.

To address the vulnerability of these workers, protections have been extended to ensure their minimum wages and overtime pay; one day rest for every calendar week; and freedom from harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

Aside from the Philippines and El Salvador, eight other consulates general were represented in the event, namely, Australia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal and Ukraine. END

For more information, visit www.chicagopcg.dfa.gov.ph; www.chicagopcg.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinChicago.

Honorary Consul General of Nepal, Marvin Brustin, Esq., (standing, second from right) stresses a point during the roundtable discussion with Consul General Jamoralin, Illinois officials, other CCC members and workers’ rights advocates. (Photo courtesy of Arnel Santiago, Chicago PCG.)

Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin and Consular Corps Dean and Consul General Patricia Maza-Pittsford deliver their welcome remarks to the guests and participants of the forum on Illinois Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. (Photos courtesy of Arnel Santiago, Chicago PCG.)