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Mass. House unanimously approves bill designating June 16 as Domestic Workers Rights Day
Summary
The Massachusetts House on a roll call passed a measure to designate June 16 as Domestic Workers Rights Day, with Representative Souza citing an estimated 2.2 million domestic workers nationwide and urging more visibility and protections for the largely female workforce.
The Massachusetts House voted to pass a measure designating June 16 of each year as Domestic Workers Rights Day, with proponents saying the symbolic recognition will raise awareness of the rights of workers who perform essential household services.
Representative Souza of Framingham urged support on the floor, saying the designation is "symbolic and substantive" and matters to workers who "too often go unseen." Souza said there are "about 2,200,000 domestic workers here in The United States," and estimated roughly 67,000 in Massachusetts, arguing that visibility helps workers learn and claim legal protections.
The bill was taken by roll call after Souza requested the yeas and nays. The clerk displayed a tally of 156 in the affirmative and 0 in the negative; the measure was passed to be engrossed.
Supporters noted the existence of the Massachusetts Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, which grants minimum wage, overtime and written‑contract protections, but said many workers remain unaware of those safeguards. Souza said that lack of knowledge contributes to wage theft and unsafe conditions and that a day of recognition would help close that awareness gap.
The House ordered the measure to be engrossed; no amendment or further condition was recorded on the floor during the session. The next procedural step is enrollment and any subsequent steps required for enactment.
