By: Meg A. Burnham

Most people do not think of themselves as employers. But if you hire a nanny, caregiver, housekeeper, gardener, cook, or other worker in your home, Washington’s new Domestic Workers Bill of Rights may change that. Beginning July 1, 2027, families and businesses that rely on in-home help will face employer obligations that look far more like a traditional workplace than a private household.

For many Washington families, this will be a significant adjustment.

Historically, many household employment relationships operated informally. A family would agree on pay, discuss a schedule, and move forward. Under the new law, that approach may create substantial risk. The legislation generally requires written agreements, establishes wage and overtime protections, creates termination notice requirements, restricts certain monitoring practices inside the home, and expands protections against discrimination and retaliation.

The biggest takeaway is simple: If you pay someone to work in your home, Washington increasingly expects you to act like an employer.

Families that previously relied on informal arrangements may now need written employment agreements describing compensation, schedules, duties, and other terms of employment.

Households will also need to pay closer attention to timekeeping and payroll practices. Domestic workers are generally entitled to minimum wage protections, overtime, and paid sick leave, which means families may need to track hours worked and maintain payroll records in ways they never have before.

Termination practices will change as well. Many families assume they can simply end the relationship when circumstances change. Under the new law, advance written notice or severance pay may be required.

The law also reaches into areas many households may never have considered employment issues. Families with cameras or monitoring systems inside the home should review those practices carefully because the legislation contains new privacy protections for domestic workers.

In short, families who hire help at home may need to start thinking about written contracts, payroll compliance, recordkeeping, privacy rules, and termination procedures the same way a traditional employer would.

The practical reality is that Washington has decided that the home can also be a workplace. And when the home becomes a workplace, employment laws follow.