Domestic Workers and Mobile Phone Use in Jordan: Rights and Responsibilities Under Jordanian Law

26 October 2026

Introduction

Mobile phones have become an essential part of everyday life. They allow people to communicate with family members, access information, follow current events, and seek assistance in emergencies. For domestic workers in Jordan, particularly migrant workers living far from their families and home countries, mobile phones provide an important means of maintaining family relationships, emotional well-being, and personal security.

At the same time, some employers face challenges related to mobile phone use during working hours. Excessive phone use may delay household tasks, interfere with childcare, affect food preparation, or create safety risks when a worker needs to concentrate on a particular responsibility.

These circumstances raise several important questions: Does Jordanian law allow domestic workers to use mobile phones? Can an employer prohibit phone use during working hours? Is an employer legally entitled to confiscate a domestic worker's mobile phone? What are the rules concerning phone use during working hours and rest periods?

Answering these questions requires an understanding of the Jordanian legislation governing domestic workers and a distinction between explicit legal provisions and practical arrangements that employers and workers can establish together.

This article examines the legal framework, the rights and responsibilities of both parties, and practical recommendations for managing mobile phone use fairly and professionally in Jordan.

1. Which Laws Regulate Domestic Workers in Jordan?

The employment of domestic workers in Jordan is governed by a special legal framework based on Jordan's Labour Law No. 8 of 1996, as amended, and the regulations issued to govern domestic workers, cooks, gardeners, and persons in similar occupations.

Article 3 of the Jordanian Labour Law addresses the regulation of domestic workers through a special system covering matters such as employment contracts, working hours, rest periods, and other employment-related issues.

The Jordanian Ministry of Labour provides information and services concerning domestic workers, including relevant guidance and procedures for recruitment offices.

The applicable legal framework is important because it establishes the rights and obligations of employers and domestic workers instead of leaving every aspect of their relationship to the discretion of one party.

When considering mobile phone use, three separate issues should be distinguished:

The domestic worker's right to communicate with family members.
The regulation of personal phone use while performing work duties.
The protection of personal rights and privacy.

These issues should not be confused. A worker's professional responsibilities do not eliminate her personal rights. Equally, the right to communicate with family members does not necessarily mean that unrestricted phone use is appropriate in every working situation.

Employers and workers should therefore consider both the applicable legal provisions and the practical requirements of the job.

2. Are Domestic Workers Legally Allowed to Use Mobile Phones?

The starting point is that domestic workers' mobile phone use should be assessed under the applicable legal framework rather than assuming that owning or using a mobile phone is automatically prohibited because a worker lives in her employer's household.

The legal provisions concerning communication with family members do not, by themselves, establish that an employer has unlimited authority to confiscate a worker's personal phone or eliminate all means of communication.

However, the right to communicate should not automatically be interpreted as permission to use a phone without restriction during every working task, regardless of professional responsibilities or safety considerations.

It is therefore important to distinguish between owning a mobile phone, using it during rest periods, and using it while performing tasks that require concentration and attention.

For example, a domestic worker may use her phone during an appropriate rest period to contact her family. By contrast, prolonged personal phone use while preparing food, supervising a young child, or handling potentially dangerous cleaning products may interfere with her duties or create safety risks.

Any restrictions should be considered in light of the applicable legislation, the employment agreement, the nature of the task, and the circumstances in which the phone is being used.

The key principle is that mobile phone use should not be treated as categorically prohibited, nor should it be assumed to be unrestricted regardless of working responsibilities and applicable legal requirements.

3. What Does Jordanian Law Say About Contacting Family Members?

One of the important legal provisions concerning this subject appears in the system regulating domestic workers, cooks, gardeners, and persons in similar occupations.

The published text of the relevant system identifies an employer's obligation to enable a worker to contact family members abroad by telephone, at the employer's expense, once a month. Additional calls may be made at the worker's own expense, and the worker is also entitled to correspond with family members in writing.

The exact wording and current applicability of these provisions should be checked against the latest official version of the legislation before they are relied upon in a specific legal dispute.

Nevertheless, the provision highlights several important principles.

3.1 Communication with Family Members Should Be Respected

Communication with family members should not be treated simply as a personal privilege that an employer can withdraw at will. The rights established by the applicable legislation must be respected.

For migrant domestic workers, maintaining contact with family members can be particularly important because they may be living thousands of kilometres away from their children, parents, and other relatives.

3.2 The Employer's Financial Responsibility for the Prescribed Call

Under the published provision described above, the employer must facilitate the specified monthly telephone contact with the worker's family abroad at the employer's expense.

Additional calls may be made at the worker's expense.

The precise application of this obligation should be assessed under the current legislation and any applicable contractual requirements.

3.3 Communication Is Not Limited to Telephone Calls

The provision also refers to written correspondence with family members.

This demonstrates the importance of maintaining family communication through appropriate means.

However, the provision should not automatically be interpreted as determining every issue concerning smartphones, internet access, messaging applications, or social media.

3.4 Family Communication Is Different from Continuous Personal Phone Use

A legal provision concerning family contact does not necessarily mean that every form of mobile phone use during working hours must be treated identically.

For example, an essential call to a family member during a rest period differs from prolonged social media browsing while preparing a meal or supervising a child.

Employers should respect legally established communication rights while addressing work-related phone use through reasonable arrangements that comply with applicable law.

4. Can an Employer Prohibit Mobile Phone Use During Working Hours?

This is one of the most common sources of disagreement between domestic workers and employers.

On the one hand, employers may reasonably expect workers to perform agreed duties professionally, complete household tasks, and protect the safety of family members and property.

On the other hand, employers must respect the rights established by the legislation governing domestic employment and should not impose arbitrary restrictions that exceed their lawful authority.

It is therefore important to distinguish between regulating phone use during a particular task and imposing a blanket prohibition without regard to the worker's rights or circumstances.

Situation One: Using a Phone While Performing Tasks That Require Concentration

Preparing food may involve sharp knives, hot oil, boiling water, and electrical appliances. Handling cleaning products may also require care.

Using a mobile phone in a way that distracts the worker from these tasks can increase the risk of accidents.

An employer may therefore reasonably ask the worker to concentrate on the task and avoid phone use that creates a safety hazard or interferes with the work.

The objective should be to protect safety and maintain work quality, not to prevent the worker from communicating with family members altogether.

Situation Two: Using a Phone While Caring for Children

When a domestic worker is responsible for supervising a young child, prolonged distraction caused by a mobile phone may affect her ability to identify hazards and respond promptly to the child's needs.

Employers should explain the importance of maintaining attention during childcare duties and establish clear expectations concerning personal phone use.

Any arrangements should be reasonable and related to the responsibilities involved. They should also respect applicable legal requirements and the worker's entitlement to appropriate rest periods.

Situation Three: Using a Phone During Rest Periods

Using a mobile phone during a rest period is different from using it while actively performing a household task.

A worker who has completed a task and is enjoying an appropriate rest period may wish to contact family members, communicate with friends, or attend to personal matters.

Such use should not automatically be treated in the same way as phone use that creates an immediate safety risk or prevents the completion of agreed duties.

Employers must also distinguish between actual working time and periods of rest, taking account of the applicable rules governing domestic employment.

An employer's authority to organize work does not, by itself, establish an unlimited legal right to prohibit all mobile phone use throughout the day. The legality of a particular restriction depends on its nature, circumstances, and consistency with the applicable legislation.

5. Can an Employer Confiscate a Domestic Worker's Mobile Phone?

Confiscating a mobile phone is different from asking a worker to put it away temporarily while performing a specific task.

The published provisions concerning family communication do not, on their own, establish a general and unlimited authority for employers to confiscate workers' personal phones.

Consequently, confiscation should not automatically be considered a lawful disciplinary measure simply because an employer believes that a worker has used her phone at an inappropriate time.

Keeping a worker's phone without consent may raise legal concerns involving personal rights and privacy, depending on the circumstances.

If repeated phone use is delaying household work or interfering with agreed responsibilities, employers should consider more transparent and proportionate alternatives, such as:

Clearly explaining the required household duties and expected completion times.
Agreeing on appropriate periods for personal phone use.
Explaining the risks associated with phone use during specific tasks.
Documenting recurring work-related problems when necessary.
Seeking guidance from the Ministry of Labour or a qualified legal professional if the disagreement continues.

These measures can help address legitimate workplace concerns without unnecessarily interfering with the worker's personal rights.

The legality of confiscation in a particular case requires assessment under the applicable law and the specific circumstances. Employers should not assume that they possess an unrestricted right to take and retain another person's property.

6. Can Employers Restrict Internet Access and Social Media Use?

It is important to distinguish between ordinary personal internet use and conduct that may harm others or violate their privacy.

Using the internet or social media does not, by itself, establish that a domestic worker has committed a legal violation.

However, problems may arise if a worker photographs family members or children without appropriate permission, publishes pictures of the home or its contents, discloses confidential information, or uses a phone in a manner that seriously interferes with agreed work responsibilities.

The regulatory framework governing domestic workers includes obligations relating to respecting the privacy of the household, protecting its property and contents, and not disclosing confidential information obtained through the employment relationship.

These obligations are particularly relevant to smartphones because photographs, recordings, and personal information can be shared online almost instantly.

Employers should clearly explain reasonable privacy expectations at the beginning of employment. These may include restrictions on photographing family members, recording private conversations, or publishing information about the household without appropriate authorization.

At the same time, the domestic worker's own privacy must be respected.

Employers should not assume that they have unrestricted permission to inspect personal messages, photographs, or social media accounts.

Privacy is an important consideration for both parties and should be respected throughout the employment relationship.

7. What Are a Domestic Worker's Responsibilities When Using a Mobile Phone?

Recognizing a domestic worker's right to communicate does not eliminate her professional responsibilities.

Workers should observe the following principles.

7.1 Complete Agreed Duties

Personal phone use should not prevent the worker from completing agreed household responsibilities or unnecessarily delay essential tasks.

7.2 Prioritize Safety

Workers should avoid distractions when operating appliances, handling hazardous materials, using potentially dangerous equipment, or supervising children.

7.3 Respect the Employer's Privacy

Workers should not photograph family members, record private conversations, or publish household information without appropriate authorization.

7.4 Follow Lawful Workplace Arrangements

Where the parties have established reasonable arrangements concerning phone use during particular tasks, the worker should follow them, provided they are consistent with applicable law and do not unlawfully restrict her rights.

7.5 Communicate When Urgent Matters Arise

If an urgent family matter requires a telephone call during working hours, the worker should inform the employer when reasonably possible, taking account of the urgency and circumstances.

Employers, in turn, should respond reasonably to genuine emergencies and avoid treating every personal call as misconduct.

These responsibilities support a professional relationship based on mutual respect rather than threats or unnecessary restrictions.

8. How Can Employers Establish Fair and Practical Mobile Phone Rules?

A clear agreement at the beginning of employment can prevent misunderstandings and reduce disputes.

The agreement should take account of the household's needs, the nature of the work, and the domestic worker's legal rights.

Practical arrangements may include the following:

Agree on appropriate times for personal phone use. Where possible, use rest periods for personal calls and routine online activities.
Prioritize safety during household tasks. Avoid distractions while preparing food, handling dangerous cleaning products, or operating appliances.
Protect children and vulnerable household members. Make clear that childcare responsibilities require appropriate attention and supervision.
Respect household privacy. Establish clear expectations concerning photographs, recordings, and online publication of private information.
Respect family communication rights. Ensure that the arrangements comply with the applicable Jordanian legislation.
Agree on how to handle urgent calls. Establish a practical approach that allows urgent matters to be addressed without unnecessarily disrupting essential duties.
Resolve disagreements fairly. Use discussion, clear explanations, and proportionate responses rather than immediately resorting to measures that may interfere with personal rights.

These arrangements should be explained in a language the worker understands.

They should not require the worker to surrender rights established by law or impose unlawful restrictions on communication with family members.

A written agreement may be helpful, but it cannot override mandatory legal protections.

9. The Role of Domestic Recruitment Agencies in Jordan

Domestic recruitment agencies in Jordan can play an important role in preventing disputes concerning mobile phone use.

Their responsibility should begin before employment starts, through clear communication with both employers and workers about professional responsibilities, privacy, family communication, and reasonable phone-use arrangements.

Agencies can provide written guidance in languages understood by workers, explaining their rights and responsibilities and outlining practical ways to resolve disagreements.

They should also explain that workplace rules should not rely on threats, humiliation, or unlawful deprivation of personal rights.

Recruitment agencies can encourage employers to focus on clear expectations and professional communication rather than blanket restrictions.

For example, instead of imposing an indefinite prohibition on phone use, an employer can explain that the worker must concentrate while supervising children or preparing food, while identifying suitable opportunities for personal communication.

If a dispute concerns the interpretation of a legal provision or the legality of a particular restriction, the parties should seek guidance from the Jordanian Ministry of Labour or a qualified legal professional.

Agencies should avoid presenting personal interpretations as definitive statements of Jordanian law.

By providing accurate information and encouraging fair arrangements, recruitment agencies can help improve working relationships and reduce unnecessary disputes.

Conclusion

Mobile phone use by domestic workers in Jordan requires a balanced approach that respects personal rights while recognizing professional responsibilities.

Domestic workers need reasonable opportunities to communicate with their families, particularly when they live far from their home countries and loved ones.

At the same time, employers are entitled to expect agreed duties to be performed safely, responsibly, and professionally.

Jordan's legal framework governing domestic workers addresses family communication and includes obligations concerning household privacy and confidentiality. However, these provisions should not be interpreted as giving workers unrestricted permission to use mobile phones during every task, nor should they be interpreted as granting employers unlimited authority to prohibit or confiscate personal phones.

The most practical approach is to establish clear and reasonable arrangements that respect applicable legislation, distinguish working time from rest periods, protect privacy, and address safety concerns.

Employers should focus on the actual impact of phone use on work rather than treating possession of a mobile phone as a problem in itself.

Domestic recruitment agencies also have an important role in educating employers and workers about their respective rights and responsibilities.

Ultimately, a successful employment relationship depends on mutual respect, clear expectations, and compliance with the law.

A domestic worker is not merely someone who performs household duties. She is an individual with personal rights, privacy, and family relationships. Employers, meanwhile, have legitimate interests in organizing household work and protecting their families and property within the boundaries of the law. Respecting both sides is essential to building a fair, safe, and professional domestic employment relationship in Jordan.