AS OF January 1, 2012, people who employ cleaners or other domestic help must register the workers with the social security and pay contributions for them. They have six months to come into compliance.

The amount to be paid is based on the worker’s monthly pay, not the number of hours he or she is employed.

In 2012 contributions for domestic workers will be at a rate of 22 per cent, with the employer paying 18.3 per cent and the employee paying 3.7 per cent.  The rate will progressively increase to reach 28.3 per cent in 2019.

The scheme provides 15 salary brackets, ranging from 90.20 euros to 748.20 euros a month.  Each bracket applies to a salary range; a cleaner who earns up to 75 euros a month would be in the 90.20-euro bracket, one who earns between 75 and 123 euros a month would be in the 98.89-euro bracket and so on, up the top 748.20-euro bracket, which is for all those who earn more than 700 euros a month.

As a typical example, someone who pays their cleaner 100 euros a month would have to pay 18 euros to social security, while the cleaner would contribute 3.60 euros.