This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
Betrayal in the Home: Nannies' Fight for Privacy ¶
As a nanny, I have spent 20 years caring for children and building relationships with families. But my trust was shattered when I discovered that my employers had been recording my voice without my consent.
It started when I was working for a family as an undocumented immigrant. My employer would often whisper to me, 'Let's go into another room, the camera is on.' I was aware of the nanny cam in the room, but I had no idea that it was also recording my conversations.
It wasn't until 2014, when I attended a Know Your Rights training session at the Matahari Women Workers' Center in Boston, that I learned about my rights as a nanny. I was amazed to see 150 nannies in one place, talking honestly about what happened in our workplaces.
But it wasn't until a few months ago, when Matahari started a Nanny Cam Campaign, that I realized the extent of the problem. We conducted in-person surveys with over 100 nannies and found that 63% did not know whether their voices were being recorded. 55% had no written contracts, and less than half knew they had privacy rights inside the homes where they worked.
It's not just about the recording of our voices; it's about the lack of respect and trust that employers show towards us. We are often underpaid, undervalued, and treated like intruders or criminals. It's time for employers and governments to take responsibility for following and enforcing the law.
Since Massachusetts adopted the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in 2014, nannies can find resources to protect their privacy on the attorney general's website. Congress should follow the state's lead by passing the recently introduced Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, which includes privacy rights for domestic workers, especially live-in workers.
As a nanny, I know how important my work is. The children in our care deserve our best. This means that both employers and nannies must enter into relationships of mutual trust and respect. Nannies should be informed of their rights to privacy, and employers must talk openly with them about their surveillance practices.
