Morocco’s Domestic Workers Left Unprotected as Employers Resist Social Security Enrollment

Signing an employment contract with a domestic employee is an uncommon practice in Morocco, informs l’Économiste, indicating that many employers are reluctant to sign this essential document for registration with the CNSS. Thus, until now, only 3,000 people have been declared to the CNSS throughout Morocco, although the number of people in this socio-professional category is not negligible. With this law governing domestic work since 2019, the minimum wage for this socio-professional category of workers is set at 60% of the minimum wage. It also allows domestic employees to benefit from benefits related to housing and food, 1 day of rest per week which could be recovered, but not beyond three months, under penalty of a fine ranging from 500 to 1200 DH.

But, "contrary to expectations, the benefit of medical coverage and family allowances has not pushed domestic workers to demand their registration with social security. Worse, the contract required by law repels them," writes the newspaper, stressing that it is important to "simplify the procedure for both parties".

However, if this procedure has not taken hold so far, it is due to several obstacles such as the lack of a court decision allowing the labor inspection or the CNSS to verify or check the existence of a domestic worker in a home. Then, "registration with the CNSS will result in social security contributions borne in particular by the employer: 6.40% for family benefits, 1.57% for short-term social benefits, 11.89% for long-term social benefits and 6.37% for compulsory health insurance," continues the same source, not to mention the payment of a vocational training tax (1.6%) for the employer.

To recall, the employment contract made in three copies must be "legalized", and one copy deposited with the labor inspection for the issuance of a receipt. In case of non-compliance, a penalty is provided. In addition, any person having a domestic employee has the obligation to deposit with his CNSS agency, a file of affiliation and registration within a record time of one month, after the signing of the employment contract. The forms are available for download on the CNSS website.