Domestic Service Agreement Spain (Acuerdo de Prestación de Servicios del Hogar)

A Domestic Service Agreement Spain (Acuerdo de Prestación de Servicios del Hogar Familiar) is a written contract between the head of a private household (titular del hogar familiar) and a household employee (empleado/a de hogar) in Spain, governing the provision of domestic services including cleaning, cooking, childcare, elderly care, gardening, and other household tasks, under the special employment regime established by Real Decreto 1620/2011, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regula la relación laboral de carácter especial del servicio del hogar familiar.

The domestic service relationship in Spain is classified as a relación laboral especial — a special category of employment relationship distinct from ordinary employment — under Article 2.1(b) of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2015). Real Decreto 1620/2011 constitutes the primary regulatory framework governing the rights and obligations of both the household employer (cabeza de familia or titular del hogar) and the domestic worker (trabajador/a del hogar), addressing minimum salary, working time, rest periods, notice periods, and termination rules.

The social security regime for household employees in Spain is the Sistema Especial para Empleados de Hogar, a special system integrated within the Régimen General de la Seguridad Social since 1 January 2012 under Law 27/2011 (Ley sobre actualización, adecuación y modernización del sistema de Seguridad Social). Registration of domestic workers with the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) is mandatory from the first day of work — the employer (head of household) is responsible for affiliation and contribution. The TGSS Sistema Especial contribution bases and rates for empleados de hogar are published annually alongside the general social security rate schedule.

For domestic workers working more than 60 hours per month for the same employer, a written contract is mandatory under Article 5 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. For those working fewer hours, a verbal agreement is legally permissible, but a written contract is strongly advisable to protect both parties. The contract must be filed with the SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal) through the Contrat@ system within 10 days of signing, consistent with the general employment contract registration rules applied by analogy under Article 8 of Real Decreto 1620/2011.

The salario mínimo interprofesional (SMI), set annually by Royal Decree, applies to domestic workers under Article 8 of Real Decreto 1620/2011 — the hourly or monthly salary agreed must not fall below the SMI. For 2024, the SMI is €1,134 per month for full-time domestic workers on a 40-hour week. Internal employees (empleados internos) who live in the employer's home may have up to 30% of their SMI equivalent offset against the cost of lodging and meals, subject to conditions under Article 8.3 of the Decreto.

The Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) has confirmed that employers of domestic workers must comply with the Reglamento General de Protección de Datos (RGPD) — Regulation (EU) 2016/679 — and Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) when processing the employee's personal data for employment, payroll, and social security purposes. The Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) requires employers to withhold and pay IRPF (Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas) under Ley 35/2006 from domestic worker salaries where the aggregate annual salary exceeds the threshold established in the applicable annual withholding table, or if the worker requests withholding.

In 2022, Spain ratified Convenio 189 of the Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which reinforced protections for empleados de hogar, including recognition of the right to organize, rest periods, and humane treatment. Spain's compliance with Convenio 189 OIT is overseen by the Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (ITSS), which is authorised to inspect private households under a judicial authorisation framework.

A Domestic Service Agreement Spain is required whenever a private individual (cabeza de familia or titular del hogar familiar) engages a worker for household tasks in their private residence, whether on a full-time, part-time, internal (live-in), or external (live-out) basis, and the relationship constitutes an employment relationship under Article 1 of Real Decreto 1620/2011.

A written Acuerdo de Prestación de Servicios del Hogar is mandatory under Article 5.1 of Real Decreto 1620/2011 when the domestic worker works more than 60 hours per month for the same employer. The written agreement must specify the parties' identities, the domestic duties to be performed, the agreed salary (salario convenido), the working hours and schedule, the rest periods (descansos), the notice period, and the trial period (período de prueba) if any.

A Domestic Service Agreement is needed when the employer wishes to hire a live-in domestic worker (empleado/a interno/a) — a worker who resides in the employer's home. Article 9 of Real Decreto 1620/2011 provides that internal employees are entitled to a minimum of 2 uninterrupted hours of rest per day, and at least one and a half consecutive days of rest per week (generally Sunday and Saturday afternoon). Written documentation of the agreed schedule and rest periods is especially important for internal arrangements to prevent disputes.

A written contract is advisable when a household worker is engaged through a Empresa de Trabajo Temporal (ETT) or a domestic service agency (empresa de servicios domésticos) — in those cases, the written agreement must identify the agency, the nature of the services, and the worker's status, since different rules apply depending on whether the worker is employed by the agency or by the household directly.

A Domestic Service Agreement is needed when the employer wishes to apply a probationary period (período de prueba) under Article 6 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. The maximum trial period is 2 months from the start of the employment, during which either party may terminate without advance notice or compensation.

The agreement is required when a foreign national authorised to work in Spain under a work permit (autorización de trabajo) issued by the Subdelegación del Gobierno under Ley Orgánica 4/2000 (LO 4/2000, de 11 de enero, sobre derechos y libertades de los extranjeros en España y su integración social) takes up domestic employment. A written contract serves as supporting documentation for permit renewals and demonstrates compliance with the social security registration obligation.

A valid Domestic Service Agreement Spain under Real Decreto 1620/2011 must include the following key elements to protect both the employer (titular del hogar familiar) and the domestic worker (empleado/a de hogar) and to satisfy the TGSS Sistema Especial registration requirements.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, DNI/NIE/passport number, and address of both the employer (cabeza de familia) and the domestic worker (trabajador/a del hogar). The employer's personal NIF (Número de Identificación Fiscal) issued by the Agencia Tributaria must be included. If the domestic worker is a foreign national, their work permit reference number issued under LO 4/2000 should be recorded.

Description of Domestic Services: A clear enumeration of the specific household tasks to be performed — cleaning, cooking, ironing, childcare (cuidado de menores), elderly care (cuidado de mayores o personas dependientes), pet care, gardening, driving, or other duties. The specificity of the job description protects the employer from claims for additional duties and the worker from being required to perform tasks outside the agreed scope.

Type of Employment: Whether the worker is an empleado/a externo/a (lives outside and commutes) or an empleado/a interno/a (lives in the employer's home). For internal employees, the agreement must address the lodging and meals arrangement and the permissible offset against salary as established in Article 8.3 of Real Decreto 1620/2011.

Working Hours and Schedule: The agreed number of daily and weekly hours, the specific schedule (days and times), and the rest periods. The maximum ordinary working time for internal employees is 40 hours per week of effective work, plus availability periods that must not exceed the limits established in Article 9 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. External employees also observe the 40-hour maximum under Article 34 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores as applied by analogy.

Salary: The agreed monthly or hourly wage (salario pactado), which must equal or exceed the national SMI. For 2024, the SMI is €1,134/month for full-time domestic work on a 40-hour week (€7.82/hour approximately). The agreement must also address the two mandatory extra salary payments (pagas extraordinarias de verano y Navidad) under Article 8.2 of Real Decreto 1620/2011, which may be prorated across monthly payments if agreed.

Rest Periods and Leave: The weekly rest entitlement of at least one and a half consecutive days (Article 37.1 Estatuto de los Trabajadores applied by analogy), and the minimum 30 calendar days of paid annual leave (vacaciones) per year under Article 25 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. Paid absences for personal matters (permisos retribuidos) under Article 26 of the Decreto should be addressed.

Trial Period: If applicable, the probationary period of up to 2 months under Article 6 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. During the trial period, either party may terminate without notice or statutory compensation, although the employer must give 7 days' advance notice if the employment has lasted more than 4 weeks before the trial period expires.

Termination and Notice Period: The minimum statutory notice period for termination by the employer is 20 calendar days where the employment has lasted more than 1 year; 7 days' notice for shorter-term relationships (Article 11 of Real Decreto 1620/2011). The employer may substitute notice by paying a corresponding salary indemnity (indemnización sustitutoria del preaviso). Termination by desistimiento (withdrawal by the employer without stated cause) requires the statutory notice and a severance payment (indemnización) of 12 days' salary per year of service, calculated pro-rata, under Article 11.3 of Real Decreto 1620/2011. Disciplinary dismissal is governed by Articles 54 and 55 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores as applied by the special regime.

Social Security Registration: The obligation of the employer (cabeza de familia) to register the domestic worker with the TGSS Sistema Especial para Empleados de Hogar before the first day of work, and to make monthly contributions in accordance with the TGSS rate tables. Failure to register generates contribution surcharges and administrative sanctions under the Ley General de la Seguridad Social (Real Decreto Legislativo 8/2015).

Data Protection: A GDPR-compliant clause under Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 and Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) covering the processing of the domestic worker's personal data for payroll, tax, and social security purposes, including reference to AEPD rights.

Forms-legal.com provides this Domestic Service Agreement Spain template as a practical starting point. Both household employers and domestic workers are advised to verify compliance with the current RD 1620/2011 requirements and applicable TGSS contribution rates with a qualified gestor laboral or abogado laboralista before execution.

Under Spanish law, the Código Civil governs marriage (Article 66), divorce (Article 81), custody (Article 92), and maintenance (Article 142). The Ley Orgánica 1/1996 (LOPJM) protects minors. The Registro Civil records births, marriages, and deaths. The Ley 15/2015 de Jurisdicción Voluntaria governs non-contentious proceedings. The Ley Orgánica 1/1982 protects fundamental rights including image and privacy.