Overseas Faculty Manual - Domestic Help

Many people find the concept of employing domestic help difficult to accept initially, but it can be a wonderful way of life, it can free you up to be even a better teacher, and it is a good way of giving local people jobs.

Most families hire one maid. She will do the cooking, laundry, ironing and house cleaning for anywhere from $150 to $250 / month. Salaries may vary depending on age, previous work experience and number of members in your family. You may want to consider hiring an additional person (usually a man) to do the heavy cleaning once or twice a month (anywhere from $20 to $30 / day.

You also are expected to provide an uniform, a set of sheets, a towel, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo.

Couples with preschool age children may find it necessary to hire a second maid, a nanny, whose main responsibility will be caring for your children. Each townhouse or apartment has a small maid’s room and bathroom. More information will be given to you about maids upon your arrival.

For the maid, you will be expected to pay a half a month’s salary as a bonus on July 15 for Independence Day (July 28) and again for Christmas on December 15.

The following is relevant information about this issue :

You must register your maid in the social security system and deposit each month 9% of their salary into their social security account. The school will facilitate the securing of a maid and give you advice about their salaries, social security payments, medical insurance, etc.

If your maid works more than 24 hours per week in your house, it is MANDATORY that you register her as your employee in the Social Security Institution and that you make sure that the following payments are made on her behalf on a MONTHLY basis :

ESSALUD......09.00 % of the maid salary (Health)
ONP.............13.00 % of the maid salary (Pension)

If your maid works less than 24 hours in your house, but you are sharing her with other school employees, we recommend that you register her as employee of any of you and that you still as a group, make the above mentioned contributions on a MONTHLY basis.

Based on the Peruvian minimum salary (S/.550.00), this represents a total of S/.121.00 PER MONTH. Please note that, it is common practice to pay social security based on the minimum salary.

Also, it is important for you to know that:

ESSALUD...S/. 49.50 should be paid by employer (you)
ONP..........S/. 71.50 should be paid by employee (maid)

If you want, you can assume your maid's portion. But, try to make sure that both (ESSALUD and ONP) are paid, in order to avoid future problems.

Regarding social security inscription, we have a person who assist FDR who knows how to do this paperwork. She will charge you S/. 80 for the inscription (S/.40.00 to register you as employer, and S/. 40.00 to register your current maid as employee).
 
If you agree with the charge, please send the following to the Housing & Relocation assistant:

- Your Original Carnet de Extranjeria (once you have it)
- Your Maid's Original DNI (Peruvian ID card)
- Your last Original Electricity bill with your current address.
- A power of attorney letter to this person, in which you authorize her to do the paperwork in your behalf (sample will be given upon request)
- S/. 80.00 to pay this person for the inscription.

If you want this person to teach you or your maid how to do the payment at Banco de la Nacion after the inscription is done, she will charge you S/. 20.00 more. We will have to coordinate this with you and/or your current maid after the inscription is done.

We know that there might be different situations than those addressed here. If this is the case, or if you have any doubts, please contact the Human Resources Manager (bsanchez@amersol.edu.pe) or the Housing and Relocation Assistant (gceli@amersol.edu.pe)