Who counts as a kasambahay
A kasambahay is a domestic worker engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship, such as a general house helper, nursemaid, cook, gardener, laundry person or similar household worker. The label in a chat message or handwritten agreement does not decide the status by itself.
The Kasambahay Law does not cover family drivers, service providers, children under a foster family arrangement, or people who do domestic work only occasionally (RA 10361, Sec. 4(d)). Start with the actual work, who controls it, where it is performed and how pay is handled.
Use the regional domestic-worker wage
Scroll across to see all columns.
| Location check | Current example | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| NCR | PHP 7,800 per month under NCR-DW-06, effective 7 February 2026 | Applies to the 16 NCR cities and the Municipality of Pateros. |
| Outside NCR | Different regional orders can apply | Check the RTWPB or NWPC page for the region where the household work is performed. |
| Higher written pay | Use the higher agreed amount | A contract or practice can give more than the minimum. |
Do not apply the NCR number nationwide. Regional wage orders change at different times, and domestic-worker rates are set separately from ordinary private-sector daily minimum wages, as a monthly amount.
Example: quick monthly cost check
NCR household paying the minimum monthly wage
Assume one kasambahay in NCR, no salary advance and no loan deduction. The wage line starts at PHP 7,800 per month before adding applicable employer-paid social-benefit contributions and before checking 13th-month pay.
- Monthly wage floor in this NCR example
- PHP 7,800
- 13th-month pay for a full year at this wage (PHP 93,600 ÷ 12)
- PHP 7,800
The example is not a full employer-cost calculator. SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG amounts depend on each agency's contribution table and salary bracket. Keep those remittances as separate lines.
Benefits to put in the written agreement
A written agreement avoids memory fights later. Give the worker a copy, keep proof of payments and avoid deductions that are not lawful or agreed in a way the law allows.
Under the Domestic Workers Act, a kasambahay with at least one year of service gets five days of paid service incentive leave a year. Unused days do not carry over and are not convertible to cash. SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG coverage applies once the kasambahay has rendered at least one month of service.
- Monthly wage and payment date.
- Rest period and weekly rest day.
- Service incentive leave and 13th-month pay treatment.
- Board, lodging and medical-attendance arrangements where applicable.
- SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG registration and contribution handling.
- Grounds and notice process for ending the arrangement.
When the kasambahay leaves
Compute unpaid wage, earned 13th-month pay and any other earned amount separately. If property return or cash advance is disputed, write the disputed item down instead of hiding it inside one net figure.
If either side is unsure, ask DOLE or the local labor office which process fits the dispute. Keep messages and payment records private and organized.
What should be written down
The Domestic Workers Act expects the household and the kasambahay to agree on key terms in writing. This does not need to sound like a corporate contract, but it should be clear enough that both sides can check pay, duties, rest and termination later.
A written agreement also protects the household employer. If the arrangement changes from stay-in to stay-out, or if duties expand from childcare to cooking and errands, update the written terms instead of relying on memory.
- Job duties and work location.
- Monthly wage and payment date.
- Whether the worker is stay-in or stay-out.
- Rest periods and weekly rest day.
- Leave, 13th-month pay and social-benefit handling.
- How either side can end the arrangement and what records will be issued.
Do not treat board and lodging as a replacement for wages
Food, lodging and basic household accommodation are part of many domestic-work arrangements, but they should not be used casually to push cash pay below the required minimum. The safer approach is to state the cash wage separately from living arrangements.
If the household gives advances or pays for an item on behalf of the worker, record that separately. A later dispute often happens because the household calls something a deduction while the worker remembers it as a gift or household expense.
What a kasambahay should check in under a minute
A worker can use these questions to start a conversation with the household employer without first reading the statute.
- Am I being paid at least the current domestic-worker wage for my region?
- Do I know my weekly rest day and daily rest arrangement?
- Do I receive proof of wage payments?
- Was my 13th-month pay computed from actual basic wage earned in the year?
- Are SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG obligations being handled and recorded?
- Do I have a copy of the agreement and any ending-payment computation?
Sources
- Republic Act 10361: Domestic Workers ActDefinition, contract, wage, rest, SIL, 13th-month and social-benefit rules for kasambahays
- NWPC: NCR domestic worker wage ratesWage Order NCR-DW-06, effective 7 February 2026; page updated 14 September 2026
General educational information. Eligibility, company agreements and the facts of a dispute can change the answer. This guide has not been reviewed by a Philippine labor lawyer. Ask DOLE or a qualified professional about a contested entitlement.