Working hours and pay tables for colf and badanti (domestic workers)

In Italy, domestic workers, in particular colf (housekeepers) and badanti (carers), perform an important social role, providing not only physical help but also emotional support, especially to elderly people.

Colf: profile and duties

A colf’s main duties include:

• Cleaning and looking after the home
• Cooking
• Looking after children

A colf can work full time or part time, depending on the family’s needs.

Badanti: profile and duties

Badanti specialise in caring for elderly people; their duties may include:

• Help with daily needs (feeding, bathing, dressing) for both self-sufficient (autosufficienti) and non-self-sufficient (non autosufficienti) people
• Accompanying them on walks and to doctor’s appointments
• Providing emotional support and company

Why domestic workers’ rights must be protected

Although many domestic workers are paid properly, some may face exploitation. The law should guarantee their rights, fair pay and access to social services. Domestic workers, including colf and badanti, play an important part in the well-being of families and of society, so their work and their rights must be recognised and protected.

Colf and badanti working together

Cooperation between a housekeeper and a carer is important, especially where a comprehensive approach is needed to meet a range of needs. Colf and badanti help improve the quality of life of the people they look after and of their families.

Working hours for colf and badanti

Working hours for colf and badanti depend on whether the worker lives with the family (conviventi) or not (non conviventi). Under the national collective labour agreement (CCNL, Contratto collettivo nazionale di lavoro), normal working hours are as follows:

• Live-in workers (living with the family): a maximum of 10 hours a day (not consecutive), 54 hours a week in total.
• Live-out workers: a maximum of 8 hours a day (not consecutive), 40 hours a week in total, spread over 5 or 6 days.

For live-in workers, the employer must provide accommodation, and the maximum of 54 hours a week is an exception to the 48-hour standard set by article 4 of Legislative Decree (D.Lgs.) No. 66/2003.

Part-time work for live-in workers

Although part-time work on a live-in basis is not normally allowed, there are exceptions for workers at levels C, B and B super, and for students aged 16–40, who may work up to 30 hours a week. These hours can be arranged:

• From 6:00 to 14:00
• From 14:00 to 22:00
• Up to 10 hours a day on three days a week

For these workers, pay is set according to table B, and board and lodging are also provided.

Rest and working hours for live-in workers

• Daily rest: workers who live with the family are entitled to 11 consecutive hours of rest in every 24 hours.
• Weekly rest: 24 hours of rest on Sunday, plus a further 12 hours on any other day agreed with the employer.

Pay for work on rest days and at night

Work on Sundays or other rest days is paid at a higher rate: 40% extra for work during the additional 12 hours of rest and 60% extra for work on Sundays. Night work (22:00–6:00) is also paid at a higher rate: 20% extra for ordinary night work, and according to article 15 in the case of overtime.

Pay tables for colf and badanti

Since 1 January 2024, updated minimum pay rates for colf, badanti and nannies have applied, approved by the National Commission on the basis of the Istat consumer price index. Compared with 2023, pay has risen by 0.56%.

Rates for live-in workers (monthly)

• Level A: €729.25
• Level AS: €861.86
• Level B: €928.15
• Level BS: €994.44
• Level C: €1,060.76
• Level CS: €1,127.04
• Level D: €1,325.92 (*)
• Level DS: €1,391.21 (*)
• *Plus an additional allowance of €194.98 for levels D and DS

Rates for live-out workers (hourly)

• Level A: €5.30
• Level AS: €6.24
• Level B: €6.62
• Level BS: €7.03
• Level C: €7.42
• Level CS: €7.83
• Level D: €9.03
• Level DS: €9.41

Night-time assistance

Average monthly pay for night work:

• Level BS: €1,143.60 (self-sufficient people)
• Level CS: €1,296.09 (non-self-sufficient people)
• Level DS: €1,601.09 (non-self-sufficient people)

Domestic workers’ grading levels

Level A: family helpers (collaboratori familiari) with no professional experience who do not care for people, as well as those who carry out their duties competently at an operational level under the employer’s direct supervision.

Level AS / A Super: companion (addetto alla compagnia) whose duties relate exclusively to self-sufficient adults.

Level B: family helpers who carry out their duties with specific competence, including at an operational level.

Level BS / B Super: nannies looking after children, and family carers (assistenti familiari) looking after self-sufficient people, who carry out their duties with specific competence, including at an operational level.

Level C: family helpers with basic theoretical and technical knowledge of the tasks assigned, who work with full autonomy and responsibility.

Level CS / C Super: family helpers for non-self-sufficient people who, having the necessary theoretical and technical knowledge, carry out their tasks with full autonomy and responsibility.

Level D: family helpers who meet the necessary professional requirements and hold positions involving responsibility, decision-making autonomy and/or coordination.

Level DS / D Super: family helpers for non-self-sufficient people, household managers (direttori di casa) or trained educators (educatori formati) who meet the necessary professional requirements and hold positions involving responsibility, decision-making autonomy and/or coordination.

Written agreement on working hours

Working hours must be set out in writing in the individual employment contract between the worker and the employer, stating clearly how the working hours are spread across the day.

Understanding your rights and your working hours helps ensure the productivity and satisfaction of people working as colf or badanti. If you have questions, it is advisable to contact trade unions or lawyers specialising in employment law.