If you employ people at your home (housekeeper, gardener, caretaker)
Your duties as an employer (persona empleadora) of household workers under Mexican labor and social-security law.
Why it matters
Household workers have the rights in the Ley Federal del Trabajo (arts. 331–343), and since May 2023 employers must register them with IMSS from the first day of work.
Who helps
You can register household workers with IMSS yourself, online or at an IMSS office. If a company sends the worker, the company is the employer.
What to do: Register household workers you employ and pay their social security.
- Employee or service company? If you hire a person directly and set their schedule, you're the employer. If a company sends the worker and invoices you, the company is the employer; ask for proof of its IMSS registration.
Key obligations
- IMSS registration: online or at the IMSS office, with your CURP and the worker's data (social security number, CURP, salary, days worked). Registration is free; IMSS calculates the contributions, the first month is paid in arrears and later months in advance, and INFONAVIT housing contributions are included.
- Minimum wage 2026: MXN 315.04 per day in BCS (general zone).
- Aguinaldo: at least 15 days' pay, paid before December 20 (prorated for part of a year) (LFT art. 87).
- Vacation: after one year, at least 12 days, rising with seniority, plus a vacation premium of at least 25% (LFT arts. 76, 80).
- Rest days and hours for live-in and live-out workers (LFT arts. 333, 336).
- Ending employment: on resignation, the worker gets a finiquito (pay owed, prorated aguinaldo, vacation and premium). On dismissal without legal cause, a liquidación generally adds 3 months' pay, and may add 20 days per year of service and a seniority premium of 12 days per year (LFT arts. 48–50, 162). Get a Mexican labor attorney or accountant to calculate it and to prepare a signed settlement.
Common mistakes
- Paying cash with no IMSS registration (you're liable for accidents and back contributions); forgetting the aguinaldo; dismissing without a signed finiquito.
Say it in Spanish
- ¿La empresa de servicios es el patrón?
Is the service company the employer? - Quisiera inscribir a mi persona trabajadora del hogar en el IMSS.
I'd like to register my household worker with IMSS.
Terms
Sources
- IMSS – household workers (checked 2026-10)
- IMSS procedure IMSS-2024-041-003-A
- DOF, Dec 9, 2025 (checked 2026-10)
- Ley Federal del Trabajo (Diputados) (checked 2026-10)
Confirm the details for your case with your notario or attorney.
Common questions
What if I employ a housekeeper or gardener?
Household workers have legal rights, including IMSS enrollment and a year-end bonus (aguinaldo).