Hiring a Domestic Worker by the Day in Colombia: Pay, Social Security, and the 42-Hour Workweek (2026)

Hiring domestic help for the home—whether for cleaning, cooking, caregiving, or maintenance—requires compliance with current labor standards in Colombia. Contrary to the popular belief that day-service work is handled informally or through a service provision contract, Colombian law requires a written employment contract and proportional enrollment in the social security system.

1. Legal framework for daily domestic hiring

In Colombia, Law 2466 of 2025 reinforced the requirement for the formalization of paid domestic work, establishing the obligation to have a written contract registered and reported on social security platforms. It is illegal to hire a domestic worker under the status of independent contractor or service provider when there is subordination, adherence to a schedule, and personal provision of service.

Likewise, social security contributions for daily workers follow the current guidelines of the UGPP, which allow employers to pay for full weeks based on the number of days worked in the month without forcing the payment of a full month of pension or compensation fund contributions.

2. Calculation of the daily wage and transport allowance in 2026

To establish the payment for a day of work in 2026, we must take as a reference the current official figures consulted on August 20, 2026:

• Current Legal Monthly Minimum Wage (SMMLV 2026): $1,750,905 (transitory nature in accordance with Decree 159 of 2026).
• 2026 Transport Allowance: $249,095 (Decree 1470 of 2025, applicable if the person travels to the workplace and earns up to 2 SMMLV).

If the rate is agreed upon based on the legal minimum wage, the basic settlement for an ordinary 8-hour day is broken down as follows:

Concept (2026)	Formula / Base	Daily arithmetic reference
Minimum Daily Wage	$1,750,905 / 30 days	$58,364
Daily Transport Allowance	$249,095 / 30 days	$8,303
Total daily reference	Wage + Transport Allowance	$66,667

A higher payment than the minimum may be agreed upon. In that case, the agreed value constitutes the wage assignment, and on that basis, social benefits (bonus, severance pay, and severance interest) must be calculated at the end of each semester or year of service.

If you need to calculate additional settlements for surcharges or work on holidays, you can consult our guide on calculating overtime and night surcharges in Colombia.

3. The 42-hour workweek and the 210-hour divisor

In accordance with Law 2101 of 2021 and External Circular 101 of 2025 from the Ministry of Labor, the maximum legal working day in Colombia was reduced to 42 hours per week starting July 15, 2026. This measure applies entirely to domestic service.

To determine the value of the ordinary hour in a full-time or part-time contract, the monthly divisor indicated by labor authorities becomes 210 hours per month (instead of the old 240 or 220 hours). If a worker performs a daily shift of 8 hours, surcharges must be reviewed according to the schedule and the time actually worked.

4. Social security for daily workers: contribution in PILA by weeks

Social security for domestic employees working by the day requires affiliation to Pension, Occupational Risks (ARL), and Family Compensation Fund. The contribution on the PILA form is not made by individual days but by blocks of weeks, according to the official 2026 UGPP table:

Days worked per month	Weeks to contribute	Pension (12% employer)	ARL (Level 1: 0.522%)	Comp. Fund (4%)	Total Employer (Approx.)
1 to 7 days	1 Week	$70,036	$9,140	$17,509	$96,685
8 to 14 days	2 Weeks	$140,072	$9,140	$35,018	$184,230
15 to 21 days	3 Weeks	$210,108	$9,140	$52,527	$271,775
22 or more days	4 Weeks (Full month)	$280,145	$9,140	$70,036	$359,321

Regarding health, individuals who work by the day can remain in the Subsidized Health Regime (SISBÉN) or as beneficiaries in the Contributory Regime of a family member, provided they meet the requirements of current regulations. The ARL must always be paid from the first day of work to cover any work-related accident or occupational disease.

To delve into the mechanisms for paying parafiscal contributions, check out our analysis on how to pay social security in Colombia.

5. Social benefits and proportional vacation pay

Working by the day does not deprive an employee of their social benefits. Every employer must acknowledge proportional benefits. The base for each concept must be reviewed separately:

• Service bonus (Prima de servicios): One month of salary per year worked (8.33%), payable in two installments (June and December). If you want to review the deadlines and formulas, read our guide on the service bonus in Colombia.
• Severance pay (Cesantías): 8.33% per year deposited into the severance fund chosen by the worker before February 14 of the following year.
• Interest on severance pay (Intereses sobre cesantías): 12% per year on the severance value, payable directly in January.
• Vacation (Vacaciones): 15 paid working days for every year of service (4.17%), calculated solely on the salary base (excluding transportation allowance).

6. Practical checklist to formalize domestic hiring

Before the person starts working in your home, make sure to complete the following steps to reduce labor errors and establish verifiable agreements:

1. Draft the written employment contract: Specify the exact days of attendance, duties (cleaning, cooking, etc.), schedule, place of work, and method of payment.
2. Affiliate to ARL before the first day: Affiliation with the Occupational Risk Insurance company must be active before work begins.
3. Register the employment relationship in the PILA portal: Register the relationship according to the daily modality indicated by the UGPP and confirm the procedure with an authorized PILA operator.
4. Keep a record of payment vouchers: Have a timesheet or receipt signed each time you make a daily or biweekly payment, detailing salary and transportation allowance.

According to active listings on Colombia Move (August 2026), the jobs section had 5 active posts against an internal offer goal of 52. This is a sign of the platform's supply, not a measure of the Colombian labor market.

Frequently asked questions

❓ How much should a domestic worker be paid for daily work in 2026?

There is no single rate that covers the entire obligation. In 2026, the temporary minimum wage (SMMLV) of $1,750,905 is taken as a reference; the transportation allowance of $249,095 is added when applicable, and benefits and contributions are calculated according to each case.

❓ Do I have to make a contract if they only work one or two days a month?

Yes. If there is personal service, remuneration, and subordination, the relationship remains an employment one even if it is for only a few days. Law 2466 of 2025 requires formalizing domestic work through a written contract and registering it in PILA.

❓ What social security is paid when working by the day?

Each employer contributes to pension, occupational risks, and the compensation fund (caja de compensación) by weeks, according to the 2026 UGPP table. The person may remain in subsidized health insurance or as a beneficiary if they meet the applicable conditions.

❓ Does the 42-hour workweek apply to domestic service?

Yes. As of July 15, 2026, the maximum ordinary workday is 42 hours per week and the monthly divisor indicated by the Ministry of Labor is 210; surcharges depend on the hours actually worked.

❓ Can I pay everything “all-in” in cash?

It is not advisable to mix the concepts into a single figure without support. The voucher must distinguish salary, transportation allowance when applicable, benefits, and contributions; keep the records and confirm particular cases with a labor professional.

❓ What information should a domestic work vacancy have?

Include city or neighborhood, days, schedule, tasks, payment, required experience, and contact method. Also, make it clear that it is a formal employment relationship; a precise description saves unnecessary conversations and wrong expectations.

❓ What happens if the Ministry inspects a home?

Labor inspection in homes is subject to special rules. According to Decree 993 of 2026, consent, authorization, or other legal assumptions intervene; it should not be understood as free and unlimited entry into the home.