The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) presented the second phase of the pilot test for the affiliation of Household Workers, through which the payment process carried out by the employer is simplified and automated .

This provides continuity and simplifies the operation of the pilot test, benefiting 2.4 million informal workers who carry out paid activities at home . With the operation of this program, with the modifications to the Social Security Law of July 2019 through which it is established that the employer is the obligated subject to register the domestic worker, and with the ratification of the Convention 189 of the International Labor Organization on domestic workers, firm steps have been taken to ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of this important segment of the population.

Among the reported results of phase I of this pilot test, teacher Norma Gabriela López Castañeda, Director of Incorporation and Collection, highlighted that as of October 27,640 people and their beneficiaries have been incorporated into the institution and fully enjoy the social health and safety benefits provided by this scheme. In other words, this program provides coverage not only to the insured person but also to their family nucleus, thereby benefiting more than 80,000 people . Suffice it to mention that during the 18 months of operation of this phase I of the pilot test, 165 thousand medical care has been granted, both to the insured holders and their beneficiaries.

Considering the distribution by gender, 68% are women and 32% are men, and 24% of the insured are concentrated in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. In the age distribution, on average the highest number of registrations occurs in women of 50 years and men of 55 years , which is explained because this segment of the population is the one that has the greatest interest in having medical assistance, among other benefits.

Considering the distribution by gender, 68% are women and 32% are men, and 24% of the insured are concentrated in Mexico City and the State of Mexico Photo: (Archive)

To weigh the result of the program, it is enough to mention that the affiliation achieved during the first phase is seven times higher than the records that were had with the previous scheme of incorporation of domestic workers, which as of April 2019 was 3,848 people . Another significant data is the percentage of the contribution base salary, which exceeds the minimum salary and in the registrations for the month of October it was 5,131 pesos on average ; if compared with the previous modality, this salary is 28% higher.

It should be noted that at the press conference held this November 11 at the IMSS facilities, the general director of the IMSS, Master Zoé Robledo, highlighted that during his appearance before the Health and Social Security Unit Commissions of the Senate of the Republic, the The Institute presented to Congress the report on the results of the first stage of the pilot test.

From the operation of phase I of the pilot test, Social Security identified the main areas of opportunity for this scheme, in particular for those cases where there are multiple patterns, so that in the new phase of the program it is now allows each of the employers to register the domestic worker and pay the fees individually, based on the days worked and the reported salary, in line with the provisions of the Social Security Law regarding the employer's obligation to carry out the registration of the domestic worker.

For this, it is easy to enter the IMSS portal and this procedure can be carried out in a very simple way, it is only required that the employer provide their basic data, such as CURP, address, email, contact telephone number and RFC, this last optionally.

In the age distribution, on average the highest number of registrations occurs in women of 50 years and men of 55 years Photo: (Archive)

Subsequently, the employer must provide the basic identification data of the domestic worker (CURP, Social Security Number and address), as well as the daily salary and the days that the domestic worker works , and the system automatically generates the receipt of the process and the capture line to make the payment of the employer's worker fees.

In this phase II, as in phase I, there is coverage identical to that of a worker under the compulsory regime, that is, of the five insurances that the Social Security Law provides: Illness and Maternity; of Work Risks; Disability and Life; Retirement, Unemployment in Old Age and Old Age; and Nurseries and Social Benefits.

The new process for the incorporation of domestic workers is available at the electronic address www.imss.gob.mx or you can go to the Sub- delegations of the Institute to do it.

For more information, the IMSS makes a microsite available to citizens on its website, in which it has a tutorial for managing the system , answers to frequently asked questions, and a worker-employer quota calculator, and the telephone number 800 6 23 23 23, with option 0, from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.