U.S. Domestic-Worker Struggles Show Long-Term Recession Damage

House cleaners and caretakers are still struggling financially six months after the first widespread coronavirus layoffs, a National Domestic Workers Alliance survey showed.

About 36% of Hispanic female domestic workers remain jobless, four times more than in the pre-Covid-19 era, according to a survey by the not-for-profit alliance released Tuesday. Of the 14% of respondents who applied for unemployment insurance, less than half received it, because many in the industry are undocumented and don’t qualify. Half the respondents said they were unable to pay their rent or mortgage for six straight months as they lost jobs and wages.