The Government of Spain's Royal Decree 1620/20111 of 14 November regulates the special relationship that characterizes service within the family household.

The Royal Decree updates the rules governing the labour relationships of domestic employees and sets out to improve working conditions in the sector by bringing them as far as possible into line with those of other workers, while making due allowance where appropriate for such differences as may exist.

This includes protections such as guaranteeing a minimum wage, mandating rest periods between working hours, and requiring domestic workers to be paid for stand-by time when they are not working but have to be on call. Spain has also incorporated domestic workers into its social security system, and is encouraging more employers to comply by reducing the administrative charges they pay.