Household Undocumented Workers

What the future holds for "undocumented workers"
should interest household employers of domestics;
especially if the government decides to crack down on
these employers.

When immigration doors opened during the Amnesty Law,
many people from Mexico and Central America took
advantage. Millions flooded the gates and followed the
legal steps to enter this country while taking the
jobs no one else wanted. These immigrants and others
from around the world struggled to stay in the system
and pay their dues. Today, most of these people hold
proper documentation to work here. They are
established and are the ones who deserve jobs.

Once the immigration doors were shut, people found
other ways of coming in. Why not? People planning to
enter the country illegally know they can escape
poverty and corruption, bring their family to a
country where they can make a decent living, pay no
taxes and receive free benefits. Conversely, they
might have second thoughts, if they came here and
discovered there were no jobs because employers were
afraid to employ undocumented workers for fear of
stiff fines and penalties, or jail time for breaking a
federal law. Also, if they found there were no free
benefits to help their families survive, they would
probably stay in their own country.

Even though there is increased awareness about hiring
legal domestics, there has been little concern about
doing so. A number of hi-profile individuals who
failed to comply with the law damaged their careers as
a result. Curiously, many perspective employers who
were aware of the consequences of violating the law
simply felt it didn't matter if they hired an illegal
because "they were not running for office." Truth be
known, the real reason many employers don't follow the
rules is because they prefer hiring cheap labor, and
are not interested in putting domestic employees on
payroll. The associated cost, along with the paperwork
hassle often seems a little too daunting. Translated,
money is the driving force when making many of these
kinds of decisions.

Think about the possible ramifications of hiring a
nanny or housekeeper responsible for taking care of a
child and a home in the hands of someone that does not
even hold a valid identification card. Imagine the
difficulties involved to tracking such an employee if
anything bad were to happen.

It is important for employers to know that domestics
are not independent contractors and must be put on
payroll. Many employers who hire documented workers
continue to pay cash wages. This kind of practice
subjects the American people to higher taxes, while
allowing those who choose to live here and become
legal residents to receive benefits and never pay into
the system. Solving this problem won't be easy. As
long as there are employers willing to pay cash wages
to illegal and documented immigrants the flood across
our border will continue. The effect will drain our
social services to the point where they will become
bankrupt and simply shut down. Employers who hire on
this basis are responsible for creating the economic
crises in many states around the country.

It's no longer possible to talk out of both sides of
our mouths. Feeling strongly about hiring documented
workers and wanting to see an end to the flood of
illegal immigrants entering the country is something
most Americans support. In order to stop the flood,
it's important to limit medical and welfare benefits
to undocumented workers who never pay taxes to support
such programs.

America is a nation of laws and does not have to
suffer to save the world at the expense of its own
economy. If countries in Central America and Mexico
were less corrupt and more interested in the well
being of their people, not so many people would be
fleeing. It is not the responsibility of American
taxpayers to care for every individual who wants to
live here. Our focus should be on those who came here
legally and who are part of the system. There's no
reason why being a gardener, factory worker, nanny,
housekeeper, or field worker should be considered
denigrating, low paying work reserved for "illegal
immigrants". There is high unemployment all over the
country. Why not elevate these jobs, pay decent wages
and insist that only those who are legal to work and
willing to pay into our system be the ones employed as
we all do in order to receive the benefits that this
great country has to offer?