Lupe’s Workplace
Shouting at Governor Newsom
My name is Lian Hurst Mann. I employ workers in my home. I am a member of Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network. I am here, today, to speak the voices of domestic employers throughout California who support expanding rights for the 300,000 domestic workers in our state. Today, we employer members of Hand in Hand call upon our governor Gavin Newsom, we say: “STOP the exclusion of these essential workers from Cal OSHA’s Health and Safety Protections. Governor Newsom, we ask you again, reverse the racist legacy of exclusion of domestic workers and farm workers from labor laws.” We, in California, have a chance to get this right! In California, we know: Our homes are workplaces. When we employ, we respect and protect! Today, we explicitly ask for health and safety guidance for our employees and ourselves.
Hand in Hand members employ house cleaners, nannies, attendants, and caregivers. I joined Hand in Hand as family caregiver. Together with my daughter, I care for my 98-year-old mother. Even together, we cannot adequately care for my mother who is completely confined to bed, unable to feed herself, and needs 24-hour care. The center of her care is Lupe, the full-time caregiver I employ who leads our care team and makes my mother’s life in her home possible. Lupe has worked for my mother for 15 years—from part-time housecleaner to now professional caregiver.
Our family was fortunate that during COVID 19, Lupe has been willing to work. She has her own family to care for and protect, therefore coming and going was a danger. With 5 family members and 2 domestic workers in my mom’s house, we didn’t receive any guidance from the government about domestic workplace health and safety practices. Together, and with Hand in Hand’s support, we agreed on health and safety protocols in the household, particularly for my mother and Lupe. Nevertheless, Lupe contracted the virus.
Lupe was very ill and unable to work for a month. We kept close communication and continued to pay her hazard pay. Also, we relearned a vital lesson—my daughter and I could not care for my mother adequately without Lupe. My mother’s condition declined. Fortunately, Lupe recovered and so did my mother. And I recommitted myself to do all possible to protect the health and safety of workers in my home!
Governor Newsom, I joined Hand in Hand to learn best practices as an employer. I realize that “my home is Lupe’s workplace,” and because I benefit so much by employing workers in my house, I want my home to be a respectful safe environment. Often workers and employers do not know what makes a work environment safe. As an employer, I welcome domestic worker inclusion in OSHA protection, which will lead to more clarity for me as to what workplace safety requirements are for my home, my employees and my family.