Madrid, November 14, 2025 – 378,000 domestic workers in Spain have gained an important new right to demand a workplace risk assessment. This change aims to improve safety and working conditions in the homes where these workers provide essential services. Also known as “empleadas de hogar,” they now share the same rights as other employees regarding occupational safety.
Workplace Risk Assessment Now Required
From November 14, 2025, families employing domestic workers in Spain must evaluate the risks present in their homes and inform workers about them. This includes explaining preventive measures to keep workers safe. The Ministry of Labor made this mandatory, giving workers the legal right to ask for this assessment.
A tool called Prevencion10, available online, helps employers complete these risk assessments. It guides them through a simple questionnaire related to tasks and home conditions. After completion, employers receive a PDF document to share with their domestic workers in Spain. This document is proof that the risk evaluation was done.
Lately, the platform encountered a problem of malicious bot attacks that resulted in the temporary access slowdown. Still, the authorities managed to block more than 16,000 dubious IP addresses that were attempting to do that with almost 50 million transactions. The process of risk assessment is still very important for compliance with the law and safety of the workers.
Domestic Workers in Spain who do not conduct or at least inform their employees about these assessments may be liable to punishment. Fines may amount up to 49,180 euros if very serious errors are discovered. Less serious violations carry a penalty of 2,450 euros at most. Although inspectors are not allowed to enter private residences, they can ask for the relevant documents, and they can also attend to complaints.
Challenges and Progress in Worker Protections
Although the workplace risk assessment is a new right, other promised protections are still delayed. A training platform for domestic workers in Spain on risk prevention was supposed to be launched in March 2025 but remains under development. The interpretation of the law regarding harassment and violence at work is not available yet. The health services have on their agenda the idea of providing free medical check-ups for housemaids. However, this project is in nascent stages and there is no estimated completion time.
The Ministry admits holdups but stresses that they are working on it and the resources will be ready very soon. Unions like UGT and CC OO support the new workplace risk evaluations. While urging the government to meet deadlines on the pending protections.
Many domestic workers in Spain are women and a large portion are of foreign nationality. Despite precarious conditions like low pay and long hours, the sector shows a shrinking workforce. Experts suggest rising minimum wages and social security rights motivate some workers to seek better jobs elsewhere or shift to formal employment by companies.
The improvement in working conditions, including the new risk assessment right, highlights an ongoing effort to raise the quality of work for 378,000 domestic workers in Spain and protect their rights.
Read More: Tough Road Back: Actor Adrián Rodríguez Battles Drug Addiction in Rehab
