Domestic Workers Entitled to Fair Wages

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Member of the House of Representatives Commission XIII, Mafirion, emphasised that domestic workers (PRT) in Indonesia are entitled to fair wages. Therefore, he supports the presence of the Domestic Workers Protection Law (UU PPRT), which is seen as one form of protection for human rights (HAM). “We appreciate the enactment of the UU PPRT. This is not merely a legal product, but a tangible manifestation of the state’s commitment to humanitarian values. Domestic workers are now recognised as legal subjects entitled to fair wages, humane working hours, and protection from all forms of violence and exploitation,” said Mafirion on Wednesday (22/4/2026). The presence of the UU PPRT will clarify the employment relationship between domestic workers and employers, which has previously been informal. “The enactment of the UU PPRT is a victory for social justice. The state now bears a significant responsibility to ensure that every domestic worker can work safely, with dignity, and with their rights protected throughout the country,” said Mafirion. The government is urged to promptly prepare progressive implementing regulations and provide easily accessible complaint mechanisms for the workers. “The biggest challenge lies in implementation. Because the employment relationship of domestic workers is in the private sphere, state supervision cannot be carried out in the usual way. There must be breakthroughs, including active involvement of local governments and civil society so that this protection is truly felt down to the household level,” said Mafirion. In the draft UU PPRT that has been enacted by the House of Representatives, it is stipulated that wages for domestic workers are provided by the employer. “The Employer of Domestic Workers, hereinafter referred to as the Employer, is an individual and/or several persons in a household who employ domestic workers by paying wages,” states Article 1 paragraph (4) of the confirmed UU PPRT draft on Tuesday (21/4/2026). Then, in Article 11 paragraph (1) of the UU PPRT draft, it is regulated that the employment relationship between domestic workers and the employer is based on an agreement or employment contract. Meanwhile, in the employment contract regulated in Article 11 paragraph (2) of the UU PPRT draft, the employment contract must include at least nine matters. One of them is the amount and method of wage payment. “Further provisions regarding the amount and timing of wage payment to be agreed or contracted as referred to in paragraph (2) shall be regulated in a Government Regulation,” states Article 15 paragraph (3) of the UU PPRT draft.