Discriminatory practices uncovered at domestic help firms

Some domestic help and cleaning companies in Belgium are engaging in illegal discriminatory practices, according to a VRT undercover investigation.

VRT's Fact Checkers programme investigated 48 home help (titres-services) companies, 28 of which responded favourably to discriminatory requests from reporters posing as potential clients.

The requests concerned the gender of the household helper, their skin colour, origin and spoken language.

The report followed a survey carried out by the Minderhedenforum which showed that two-thirds of companies audited responded favourably to such discriminatory requests, which violate anti-discrimination legislation as well as the conditions for regional recognition in the sector.

Unuia, the interfederal centre for equal opportunities, is calling on the Federal Inspectorate to take action.

"failure to intervene deprives vulnerable groups of job opportunities, undermines trust between colleagues, confirms public prejudice and encourages unfair competition between service cheque companies," the organisation said.

The chief executive of the sector's federation Federgon, Ann Cattelain, described the practices uncovered as "totally unacceptable".

“We should be looking at the skills of household helpers, not other characteristics,” Cattelain said. “The added value of the service voucher sector is that it is open to all kinds of people.”

Cattelain said that she was unaware that companies were acting in this way and more controls and inspections are needed "to put an end to these practices" and that "the bad apples must go".

Unions, however, point out that a report in 2020 already proved many service cheque companies were responding favourably to discriminatory requests.

"Since then, Federgon has been no more willing to commission an objective and transparent investigation, let alone tackle the discrimination itself," the unions said.