Growing Awareness to Reduce Labor Abuse: An Experimental Test of a Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights Awareness Campaign

Authors

• Margaret L. BoittinFollow
• Cecilia Hyunjung MoFollow
• Biz HermanFollow
• Sarah Rich-ZendelFollow
• Soosun YouFollow

Start Page

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Abstract

Migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are highly vulnerable to labor abuse. Using
a survey and randomized controlled trial conducted in Hong Kong, this study
investigates MDWs’ labor experiences and the potential of rights awareness
campaigns to mitigate labor abuse. The campaigns increased public knowledge
of MDWs’ rights and reduced the social acceptability of MDWs’ mistreatment.
To the extent that improving knowledge about MDWs’ rights and decreasing
acceptance of mistreatment affect the behaviors of employers and others who
can support MDWs, rights awareness campaigns can help reduce labor abuse.
However, the campaigns had limited impact on MDWs, who demonstrated high
awareness of their rights but often experienced concerning levels of abuse and
regarded mistreatment as an unavoidable aspect of their employment. These differences highlight the constrained agency of MDWs to independently improve
their labor conditions and emphasize the value of rights awareness initiatives
targeting employers of MDWs and the general public.

Recommended Citation

Boittin, Margaret L.; Mo, Cecilia Hyunjung; Herman, Biz; Rich-Zendel, Sarah; and You, Soosun (2026) "Growing Awareness to Reduce Labor Abuse: An Experimental Test of a Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights Awareness Campaign," Journal of Law and Economics: Vol. 69: No. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/jle/vol69/iss2/1