Domestic Service: New Labor Rules

On December 5, 2025, the minutes of the eleventh round of the Wages Council for Group No. 21 "Domestic Service" were signed, which we analyze below.

New Job Categories

Starting July 1, 2026, three categories are introduced, with precise definitions and their own minimum wages:

• General Category It includes workers whose main functions involve tidying, cleaning, home maintenance, washing and ironing, running errands, taking care of common or outdoor areas, and pet care, among other tasks related to household organization and maintenance. The specific minimum wage for this category, effective as of July 1, 2026, is derived by applying the CPI variation (Variation from Dec 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026) to the amount stipulated in said minutes for June 30, 2025, plus the percentage increase established therein.

• Cooking Category It applies when the worker's main, regular, and majority task consists of preparing meals for the family. The minutes specify that the following are not sufficient for this classification: serving pre-prepared or heated food; performing minor actions such as cutting, peeling, or preparing simple drinks; cleaning dishes or utensils; and setting or clearing the table. The minimum wage for this category as of July 1, 2026, is $32,875.

• Caregiving Category It corresponds to those whose main, regular, and majority task is the direct and habitual care of individuals, including children, adolescents, elderly people, or individuals with varying degrees of dependency. Typical tasks in this category include supervision, companionship, feeding, and hygiene, as well as complementary tasks such as cleaning or tidying the immediate environment. Occasional activities such as serving food or providing brief assistance are not enough for classification under this category. The minimum wage for this category as of July 1, 2026, is $33,935.

In all three cases, a main or majority task is understood as one that occupies 50% plus one hour of the workday, under both monthly and daily wage regimes. When the worker provides services under a daily wage regime, the determination of the main task is evaluated considering the total number of daily wages worked in the month.

Workers classified under the Cooking or Caregiving Categories may perform tasks from lower-paid categories without altering their classification.

The new categories entered into force on July 1, 2026, once the agreement's dissemination stages and the necessary IT adaptations at the Social Security Bank (BPS) were completed. The minimum wages for the Cooking and Caregiving categories are not retroactive and cannot generate past claims.

Attendance Bonus: New Prorating Mechanism

It is established that the attendance bonus, equivalent to 1/4 of the semi-annual bonus (medio aguinaldo, effective since 2013), will be settled applying a monthly prorating mechanism. Thus, an absence in a single month of the semester results in the loss of 1/6 of the bonus; the total amount is only lost if the worker records absences in all six months of the semester. This mechanism enters into force starting with the December 2026 payment, subject to IT implementation by ATYR. Until then, the previous conditions apply.

New Special Leaves

The agreement incorporated two paid special leaves:

1. Caregiving leave: 3 non-cumulative days per year, intended for the care of dependent parents, sons, or daughters in the event of hospital or home confinement (the worker must notify the employer at least 10 days in advance if the hospitalization is scheduled, or during the day if it is an emergency, and present the corresponding certificate within a period not exceeding 10 calendar days).

2. Mental health leave: 3 non-cumulative hours per year for consultations with a psychiatrist.

In both cases, the use of these leaves does not generate deductions from the attendance bonus or any salary impact whatsoever.

Prohibition of Agrochemicals and Pesticides

The minutes establish a prohibition on the use, handling, or application of agrochemicals, pesticides, and herbicides in outdoor tasks. This is a new provision in the sector, with immediate effect since the entry into force of the agreement.

Current Salary Adjustment: July 2026

For the period beginning July 1, 2026, the agreement provides for the following nominal adjustments to the salaries in effect as of June 30, 2026:

• Level 1: 2.8%

• Level 2: 1.9%

• Level 3: 1.7%

These percentages include the intermediate corrective adjustment, if applicable, the application of which depends on the performance of the CPI with exclusions (core inflation) between July 2025 and June 2026.