This monthly digest is written primarily for the staff of UC Cooperative Extension. It is produced by the staff of ANR's News and Information Outreach in Spanish (NOS) based on news reported by mainstream news media and reputable research institutions. Inclusion in the digest does not imply endorsement, nor does SBMS assume responsibility for the veracity of the information. We invite our readers to refer to the source to read more of each particular brief; we'll try to always include a link.

In the employment market for both legal and illegal immigrants, many nannies and maids are finding their first jobs among older generations of Latinos who are now in a position to hire domestic help. But while the two groups may gravitate toward each other because of cultural and language similarities, that connection can lead to tensions and broken expectations, say researchers, employers and workers. “Sometimes, the skin is kind of thin,” said Leo Chavez, an anthropology professor and director of the Center for Research on Latinos in a Global Society at UC Irvine. “If an Anglo says something, they let it shake off, but when a Latino says it, they are hurt. They expect empathy.” When relationships work, there is a deep comfort level, cultural sensitivity and communion of values and customs. But some Latina domestic workers say they avoid Latino employers because of the attitudes some bring from their home countries, like treating workers like servants or haggling over pay. In a study of 400 day laborers by UCLA urban planning professor Abel Valenzuela Jr., the workers ranked Latinos lower than Anglos in fair treatment. The Latino homeowners who hired the workers for construction, landscape and painting jobs were ranked higher than Asians and were ranked about the same as blacks.

Source: Navarro, Mireya, The New York Times. “For Latinos, Familiar Faces May Not Be Friendly Bosses.” October 22, 2006, www.nytimes.com