Kasambahay Benefits: SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and 13th Month

Kasambahay benefits are the wages, social protection, rest, and leave that Republic Act 10361, the Domestic Workers Act or Batas Kasambahay, requires household employers to give their domestic workers. The law covers general househelp, yayas, cooks, gardeners, and laundry workers who work within an employment relationship. It took effect in 2013, yet many households still do not register their kasambahay or remit contributions, which leaves the worker without coverage when they get sick, give birth, or grow old.

Who counts as a kasambahay

The law defines a domestic worker as any person engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship, such as a househelp, nursemaid or yaya, cook, gardener, or laundry person. It excludes people who do domestic work only occasionally and not as an occupation. It also excludes foster children who receive access to education and an allowance for school expenses.

DOLE’s implementing rules treat some household workers, such as family drivers, differently, so check DOLE’s guidance if your worker does not fit the usual househelp roles.

Kasambahay benefits: SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG

Once a domestic worker has served at least one month, the employer must enroll them in SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG. These are the core kasambahay benefits that protect the worker beyond the household, from sickness and maternity benefits to housing loans and retirement.

The law sets clear rules on who pays:

• If the kasambahay earns less than ₱5,000 a month, the employer pays the full premium or contribution.
• If the kasambahay earns ₱5,000 or more, the worker pays their proportionate share, as provided by each agency’s rules.

Either way, the employer is responsible for registering the worker and remitting contributions on time. For the SSS side of benefits, such as maternity and sickness claims, see our SSS maternity benefit guide.

How household employers register

A household employer usually registers with each agency as a household employer, then reports the kasambahay as an employee:

• SSS: register as a household employer and report the worker, then pay monthly contributions through SSS payment channels.
• PhilHealth: register the kasambahay under the household employer category and remit premiums.
• Pag-IBIG: register as an employer and enroll the worker; see our guide on Pag-IBIG membership registration.

If the kasambahay has no IDs yet, start with the PSA birth certificate and a barangay certificate, then help them get a government ID. Our valid government IDs guide lists common options.

Barangay registration

RA 10361 requires employers to register all domestic workers in the Registry of Domestic Workers in the barangay where the employer lives. This registry helps local officials and DOLE monitor working conditions. Visit the barangay hall with the kasambahay’s details and a copy of the employment contract. Registration is usually quick, and the barangay can tell you if it has its own form.

Minimum wage as part of kasambahay benefits

Among kasambahay benefits, the wage floor comes first: pay cannot be lower than the minimum set for domestic workers in your region. Since then, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards have raised the original amounts. They review domestic worker wages periodically. Check the current wage order for your region on the National Wages and Productivity Commission website or with your DOLE regional office before agreeing on a salary.

The employer must pay wages directly to the worker, in cash, at least once a month. Apart from deductions the law allows, the employer cannot deduct anything without the worker’s written consent. The employer must give a pay slip every payday showing the amount paid and any deductions, and keep copies for three years.

Kasambahay benefits: 13th month pay and leave

The law gives domestic workers 13th month pay. In practice, this means at least one-twelfth of the basic salary earned in the year, paid by December 24. Our 13th month pay guide explains the computation.

After one year of service, a kasambahay is entitled to a five-day service incentive leave with pay each year. Unused days do not carry over, and the worker cannot convert them to cash.

Kasambahay benefits on rest and working conditions

• Daily rest: an aggregate of at least eight hours of rest per day.
• Weekly rest: at least 24 consecutive hours a week, on a schedule agreed in writing. Employers must respect the worker’s religion.
• Board and lodging: at least three adequate meals a day and humane sleeping arrangements that ensure safety, without deducting their cost from wages.
• Medical attention: appropriate rest and assistance in case of illness or injury sustained during service, without loss of benefits.
• Privacy: respect for the worker’s communications and personal belongings.
• Education: the opportunity to finish basic education, and access to alternative learning or training where practicable.

The employer and worker may agree to offset an absence against a rest day, waive a rest day in exchange for an equivalent daily rate, or accumulate rest days up to five.

The employment contract

Both parties must sign an employment contract before work starts, in a language they both understand. The worker also gets a copy. It should cover duties, working hours, wages, rest days, leave, board and lodging, length of employment, and termination. DOLE provides a free model contract.

The contract also sets out kasambahay benefits for both sides. Before signing, the employer may ask the worker for a medical certificate, barangay and police clearance, an NBI clearance, and proof of age such as a birth certificate. The employer or agency, not the worker, pays for these documents. Our guide comparing police and NBI clearances explains what each involves.

What employers cannot do under the Batas Kasambahay

• Hire anyone below 15 years old. The law allows workers aged 15 to 17 only under special protections, and they must get the minimum wage and all benefits.
• Charge the worker recruitment or finder’s fees.
• Require deposits to cover possible damage to household items.
• Place the worker under debt bondage.
• Withhold wages or interfere with how the worker spends them.
• Subject the worker to abuse, violence, or degrading treatment.

The city or municipal social welfare officer or DSWD, with barangay officials, can rescue an abused or exploited kasambahay.

Ending the employment

If there is a fixed term, neither side may end the contract early except for causes listed in the law. If a kasambahay is unjustly dismissed, the employer must pay wages earned plus 15 days’ pay as indemnity. If the worker leaves without a valid reason, they may forfeit up to 15 days of unpaid wages.

If the contract has no fixed term, either party may end it with five days’ notice. When employment ends, the employer must issue a certificate of employment within five days of the worker’s request.

Before the last day, both sides should also settle the final pay. That usually covers unpaid wages, the pro-rated 13th month pay, and the cash value of any benefits the contract promises. In addition, the employer should keep copies of SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG remittances, since the worker may need them when applying for benefits or a new job.

Kasambahay benefits checklist for employers

1. Sign a written contract and give the worker a copy.
2. Register the worker at the barangay.
3. Register with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG within the first month.
4. Pay at least the regional minimum wage monthly, with a pay slip.
5. Give daily and weekly rest, and five days’ paid leave after a year.
6. Pay 13th month by December 24.

Kasambahay benefits in practice: an example

Consider a family in Cebu that hires a live-in yaya at a monthly salary of ₱4,800. Because her pay is below ₱5,000, the employer shoulders her full SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions. They sign a contract in Cebuano, register her at the barangay, and enroll her with the three agencies within her first month. She gets Sundays off, three meals a day, and her own room. In December, they pay her 13th month pay of at least ₱4,800, assuming a full year. After a year, she also earns five days of paid leave.

When she later becomes pregnant, the SSS contributions her employer remitted allow her to claim maternity benefits. Meanwhile, her PhilHealth coverage helps pay for the delivery. Without registration, she would have had neither.

Common mistakes household employers make

• Treating a relative who works full-time in the house as “not an employee.” If there is an employment relationship, the law applies.
• Deducting food or lodging from wages, which the law does not allow.
• Registering with SSS but forgetting PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.
• Stopping contributions while the worker is on leave or vacation in the province, even though employment continues.
• Paying in kind instead of cash.

Fixing these early protects kasambahay benefits and the employer alike. A household that keeps contracts, pay slips, and contribution receipts is far better placed if a dispute ever arises.

Where to complain

Under RA 10361, labor disputes involving domestic workers go to the DOLE regional office with jurisdiction over the workplace, which must exhaust conciliation and mediation before deciding. Where appropriate, the worker can also file civil or criminal cases. Workers without SSS, PhilHealth, or Pag-IBIG coverage can also report their employer directly to each agency, which can collect unpaid contributions.

Last checked against RA 10361 on Lawphil and the National Wages and Productivity Commission on October 2026. Regional minimum wages for domestic workers change, so confirm the current rate before hiring.