Rights of a house help or domestic worker
Employment Act, 2007 · sources read 4 Oct 2026
A house help paid wages is an employee under the Employment Act, so the same minimum rights apply: at least one rest day every 7 days, 21 working days' paid leave a year, sick and maternity leave, housing or a rent allowance, and notice before the job ends. The employer must also register them with NSSF within 21 days.
- Deadline
- The employer must register the worker with NSSF within 21 days of employment.
- Where
- Your area labour office, or the Employment and Labour Relations Court
Steps
- If your rights are not respected, report to the area labour officer, who records the complaint on Form LD 64.
- If it is not settled within 7 days, the labour officer calls you and the employer to a conciliation meeting.
- You can also file a claim at the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
Watch out
- At least one rest day in every 7 days.
- After 12 months of work: at least 21 working days of leave on full pay.
- After 2 months: at least 7 days' sick leave on full pay, then 7 days on half pay, each year, with a medical certificate.
- Three months' maternity leave on full pay.
- The employer must provide reasonable housing or pay rent on top of wages, unless the pay is consolidated to include rent.
- Paid monthly: 28 days' written notice either way.
- A job of 3 months or more must have a written contract.
- Even one house help counts: an employer with one or more employees must register with NSSF and register the worker as a member.
- Not registering is an offence, with a fine of up to KSh 50,000.
- Every Kenyan, house helps included, must register with the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
- For a salaried worker, SHIF is paid by the employer deducting it from the wages every month and paying it to the Fund. Failing to pay contributions owed is an offence.
- A house servant has a legal minimum wage (excluding housing allowance) of KSh 18,047.40 a month in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret, KSh 16,650.95 in former municipalities and Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru, and KSh 9,628.07 elsewhere.
Who this covers
- Anyone employed for wages in a home: house helps, nannies, cooks, gardeners, watchmen.
- Not covered: the employer's own dependants when they are the only workers in a family undertaking.
Official sources (6)
- Employment Act (Cap. 226), consolidated new.kenyalaw.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Handling of Labour Disputes labour.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- NSSF FAQs nssf.or.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- National Social Security Fund Act (Cap. 258, No. 45 of 2013), revised edition as at 31 December 2022 nssf.or.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 (No. 16 of 2023) new.kenyalaw.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Regulation of Wages (General) Order (L.N. 120 of 1982) new.kenyalaw.org · read 4 Oct 2026