Dr. Alexandra Piñeros-Shields, Brandeis, to Speak

At Needham Immigration Public Forum, February 28

**Local domestic workers one of the topics**

Needham residents will learn about a bill before the Massachusetts legislature to provide certain protections to domestic workers – many of whom in suburban communities are new immigrants. On Thursday, February 28, a free public forum entitled “Immigration: How Do We Fix a Broken System?” will be held 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm at the Needham Free Public Library. Co-sponsored by the Needham Area Immigration Justice Task Force and the League of Women Voters of Needham, the program features  Alexandra Piñeros-Shields, PhD, Senior Research Associate in the Center for Youth and Communities at The Heller School for Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Rep. Michael Moran of Brighton has introduced a bill to the Massachusetts legislature establishing a bill of rights for domestic workers in the Commonwealth. Their work includes but is not limited to housekeeping, house cleaning, nanny services, laundering, cooking and care taking of sick individuals in their homes. For example, compensable time is defined as including meal periods, rest periods and sleeping periods, unless a domestic worker is free to leave the employer’s premises and use the time for her or his own benefit. The bill specifies how a domestic worker who works a full day for an employer is is compensated for rest periods during this time, their rights to privacy, and severance pay upon termination of employment. A domestic worker who works for an employer for 40 hours or more per week would be entitled to 24 consecutive hours of rest for worship.

A question-and-answer period following the talk by Dr. Piñeros-Shields at the public forum, February 28 will enable Needham residents to join in discussion of important issues of immigration reform.