Indonesia Bolsters Legal Protection for Domestic Workers

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is bolstering legal protection for domestic workers through Law Number 2 of 2026 on the Protection of Domestic Workers, known as the Domestic Worker Protection Law. The regulation provides a clearer legal framework for employment relationships between domestic workers and employers.

The law sets out the rights and responsibilities of domestic workers, employers, and Domestic Worker Placement Companies, or P3RT. It covers working hours, job responsibilities, wages, religious holiday allowances, social security, and safe and healthy working environments.

Director General for Labor Placement Development and Employment Opportunity Expansion at the Ministry of Manpower, Sugeng Heri Suseno, said employment relationships between domestic workers and employers should be based on mutual respect and the fulfillment of both parties’ rights and responsibilities.

“Mutual respect is not only about how domestic workers are addressed, but also about ensuring certainty regarding the rights and responsibilities of both parties,” Sugeng said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Manpower on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Under the law, domestic workers may be recruited directly by employers or through Domestic Worker Placement Companies. The regulation also provides greater clarity on employment relationships and the responsibilities of each party.

The law also establishes a dispute resolution mechanism that prioritizes deliberation to reach an agreement. If no agreement can be reached, disputes may be resolved through mediation in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Sugeng emphasized that the Domestic Worker Protection Law aims to ensure that domestic workers receive legal protection and recognition as workers entitled to treatment that respects their human dignity.

“The focus of the Domestic Worker Protection Law is to provide protection, recognition, and treatment for domestic workers as workers in accordance with human dignity,” he said.