Do I have to sign a labor contract with a domestic worker?

Legal question: 

I have just given birth. My mother found a domestic worker from our homeland to help me take care of the child, clean the house, and cook for us every day. I would like to ask the lawyer if I have to sign a contract to hire a domestic worker. Is it legal if I don’t sign any contract with her?

FDVN’s Opinion:

Thank you for sending your question to FDVN Law Firm (FDVN). Regarding your consultation request, after researching relevant legal regulations, we would like to present our opinions as follows:  

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 161 of Labor code 2019: “A domestic worker is a worker who regularly carries out domestic work for one or more than one households.

 Domestic work includes cooking, housekeeping, babysitting, nursing, caring for elders, driving, gardening, and other work for a household which is not related to commercial activities.”

Pursuant to Article 162 of Labor code 2019, “The employer shall enter into a written employment contract with the domestic worker.”

Therefore, according to the regulations cited above, when you hire a domestic worker, you must sign a written labor contract with that person. If you don’t sign any written contract with her, you may be fined with a warning and at the same time apply remedial measures. The measure shall be forcing you to enter into a written labor contract with her, under Point a, Clause 1, Clause 5, Article 30 Decree No. 12/2022/ND-CP dated January 17, 2022 on penalties for administrative violations against regulations on labor, social insurance, and vietnamese guest workers under contract.

The above is the advisory opinion of FDVN regarding your consultation request based on the research of legal regulations. We hope that FDVN's advice will be helpful to you.

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