KARIBU KENYA - UNON - the United Nations Office at Nairobi

children’s ayah will expect in the region of Ksh 6,000-10,000 per month,
while a gardener or casual worker might expect Ksh 200-300 per day. It is also
a common Kenyan practice to give domestic staff a ‘Christmas bonus’ equivalent
to one month’s salary at the end of each year.
As well as salaries, employers are expected to furnish staff with uniforms,
medicines and medical expenses, and with a housing allowance – usually 15% of
the basic salary – in cases where accommodation is not provided. Some employers
also provide their domestic staff with food,tea,furnishings and toiletries.While
loans are often expected, these are also at the employer’s discretion, and it is wise
to establish a policy on all expenses early on in a new staffer’s employment.
In the era of AIDS, many residents may initially want to have their house
staff tested for HIV. However, this is not required by law and many doctors
advise against testing house staff for HIV because of the very negligible risk of
transmission in a domestic setting. However, it is worth requesting your house
staff to have a stool test for salmonella and typhoid and a chest X-ray for tuberculosis,
and, if they consent, a blood test for Hepatitis B. For more information
about domestic staff health, call the UN Medical Service on 622267/8.
When leaving the country, employers are obliged to give severance pay
to their domestic staff, usually at a rate of one month’s salary for every year of
employment. Details of this and other labour related issues are contained in a
booklet of Guidelines on Employing Domestic Workers published by the UN Staff
Counsellor’s Unit.The latest terms and legislation on domestic employment
in Kenya can also be sourced from the Provincial Labour Officer based at
Nyayo House (Tel: 333511).
Home Services
UN-Appointed Services
Nairobi has a host of reliable private home service providers – from electricians,
plumbers and gardeners to major building contractors – which can
be sourced from the Yellow Pages or by asking longer serving staff
members. UNON employs the services of several contractors, including
Kinetic Ltd. for electrical work (622500), Diani Flowers and Landscaping
for gardening and landscaping services (622640), and Varsani Enterprises for
construction projects (622505) who may also be contacted for assistance in
identifying service providers.
CHAPTER 5: AT HOMES • 33