The determinants of wages of domestic workers in Nairobi county A case of Langata sub-county

Abstract

Domestic workers play a critical role in the employment segment globally and in particular Kenya. This research project sought to investigate the determinants of wages of domestic workers in Langata Sub County in Nairobi County. The study covered a sample size of 306 domestic workers all working in households located in Langata Sub County. The findings of the study from the regression anaysis were that education level attainment, work experience, type of residence, and marital status of a domestic worker were statistically significant. Most of the respondents had basic education attainment but there was no significant difference in education attainment by gender. The mean wage for domestic workers was Ksh 9,296.70 implying that most of them earned below the minimum wage. Males earned a higher average wage than female respondents (Ksh 9,346.30 and Ksh 9,141.80 respectively). The study concludes that the level of education, work experience, worker’s residence, marital status and age variables are key determinants of the wages of domestic workers, thus giving a different perspective approach to domestic workers’ wage determination in addition to minimum wage regulation by the government. The study also concludes that domestic work had limited awareness of minimum wage legislation and labour practices in the domestic sector such as the existence of the trade union (KUDHEIHA) that covers domestic workers which exposes the them to unfair labour practices. Finally, gender-wage gap was evident with a 36.5 percent unexplained gender-wage gap between the male and female domestic workers.. The study recommends the need for government to formulate policies that would promote secondary education, sensitize domestic workers and their employers on the the labour legislation and finally take a broader approach When setting the minimum wage to factor other variables such as domestic workers’ education level, experience, age and residence that this study found significant as wage determinants of domestic workers. To address rising gender-wage differences at higher levels of experience, the ministry should introduce training programs to sensitize domestic workers and employers on issues to do with discrimination, rights and skills such as salary negotiation.