Many domestic workers in the United States are paid in cash, without receipts or formal contracts. This can make it difficult to clearly keep track of what you earn and complicate things in cases of mistakes, rate changes, or nonpayment.
According to the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), domestic work in the United States is often performed without job protection or written documents, leaving many workers exposed to instability, abuse, or nonpayment.
Note: The National Domestic Workers Alliance is the partner organization of La Alianza.
Recording your income does not have to be complicated or expensive. Here are some simple ideas to help you better organize your money, protect your job, and negotiate more clearly if necessary.
Why keep records?
Keeping track of what you earn not only helps you know if you are being paid correctly. It also allows you to:
- Identify if there are unpaid days or hours.
- Better prepare for expenses, emergencies, or vacations.
- Negotiate raises with real data.
- Show that your work is consistent and valuable.
- Support yourself in case of conflicts or dismissals without notice.
In addition, by recording how much you work and how much you earn, it is easier to see your progress and plan future goals.
Simple record-keeping methods
No technology or apps are needed. Using what you already have on hand, you can start organizing your income in a practical way:
📓 A notebook or pad of paper
Write down the date, the number of hours worked, the address or name of the family, the type of task, and the amount received. You can use a different color if you weren’t paid that day.
📆A wall or cellphone calendar
Mark each day worked with an X and write down how many hours you worked and how much you were paid. This is particularly useful if you work with several families or in different places.
📋A simple template
You can create a table on paper or digitally with columns such as date, hours, payment, and extra tasks. This allows you to easily see how much you earn per week or per month.
🧾Save messages, notes, or proof of the agreement
If you received a message with your schedule, rate, or a last-minute change, save it. Even if it is not a formal contract, it can serve as support in the case of doubt or a dispute.
What if they don’t pay you what was agreed?
If you ever receive less money than agreed or there is a difference in hours, having your own record can help you make your point clearly and respectfully. Remember:
- Speak calmly and explain what you wrote down.
- Present your records as a tool, not as an accusation.
- Ask for written confirmation if necessary.
- If the situation repeats itself, seek support from community networks, labor advocates, or workers’ groups.
Where to ask for help if you are not paid fairly?
The U.S. Department of Labor protects domestic workers against wage theft, even if there is no written contract or if payment is received in cash. Filing a complaint is your right, and you can also seek guidance from community organizations that support domestic workers.
🔗 Learn about the case of a worker who recovered more than $270,000 after reporting her employer.
A log is also a valuable tool
Keeping track of your work not only protects your income, but it is also a way to recognize the value of your time and effort.
This visibility is key in a context where domestic work has historically been invisible. As Zoë West, senior researcher at Cornell University’s Worker Institute, explains, this work—mostly done by Black and immigrant women—has long been considered “women’s natural work,” and therefore is often not valued or recognized as formal employment.
“There’s a very persistent, strong perception that this isn’t real work,” she says.
Keeping records, even simple ones, is a concrete way to affirm that what you do does have value and deserves to be recognized as work.
Editor’s note: This article was originally written in Spanish and translated into English by Tilde Language Justice Cooperative
