An employer surnamed Wong faced a storm of criticism online from people in Hong Kong after saying she turned off the air-conditioner in her domestic worker’s room at night because the maid did not ask for permission to use the machine.
Wong said in post on a Facebook group called “Hong Kong Employers of Foreign Domestic Workers Mutual Help Association” she found her maid had put on the air-con without her consent at 1am on Wednesday. Wong said she switched it off and opened the door for ventilation.
At 4am, the woman then found that her maid had closed the door and turned the machine on again.
Wong said she was furious, adding that the maid had not turned the air-con on earlier when the weather was hot prior to a typhoon. She said her maid used to ask her before using the air-cooler.
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Wong told the online group she had originally planned to let her maid use the air-con at night after a three-month probation period but had now decided to remove the socket and put a lock on it.
Wong described her domestic worker as “audacious” – and asked other employers if they let their maids “enjoy” air-con in their rooms.
Wong then faced heavy criticism from other employers, who said she was harsh, cruel and penny-pinching.
Netizens, who saw a screen-cap picture of Wong’s post on other Facebook groups, said employers should not treat their domestic workers like slaves. They said Wong was mean, because she could afford to hire a domestic worker but would not to pay an electricity bill.
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Her post was then blocked by the administrator of the employers’ Facebook page. Wong then posted another message to reopen the discussion; she wanted to know how many employers allowed their domestic workers to use air-con every day in summer.
She said she had treated her maid well by offering her a room with five windows, a double bed and a fan.
Netizens suggested she should sleep in that room if it was so good. Others said Wong was making trouble for herself as her maid would be unable to do her job well without a good night’s sleep.
Betty Yung, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association, said employers should be more considerate to the needs of domestic workers, instead of being harsh toward them.
Read: Charity urges better accommodation for Hong Kong maids
I am very lucky to have a very good employer. I been treated just like a family member..I eat same food as them and I use house facilities as what they are using I sleep well and I am not stressed out about my work … and in return I love my work I do it properly i take care the family as mine too especially the child I take care of him more my kids..hope it can be a good example to other employer and helper relationship to give and take as rule … every employer hire a helper cause they need help … helper apply to the employer cause they need money but the relationship between inside the house is not end only like that accept the fact the we are existing in the community that we need each other… no need to be harsh no need to be cruel everyone is also human being…
Dapat considerate ang mga amo sa katulong specially during summer days super init silage nga kapag naiinitan nagkakasakit tayo PA kayang mga katulong eh tao din nakakaramdam din. Ako nga exuasted fun Lang at kapag d kaya ang init kc kabilaan ang buga ng init taas baba grabi parang nasa pug on ako
pag ako ang helper niyan sabihan ko siya na try niyang matulog sa room na walang aircon with 33. degres celcius heat.
Put yourself into the maids situation and tell us madam wong your feelings after you sleep to that room without an aircon!! Believe me you cannot sleep…
Smith Walt , she’s blessed and same with my employer she told me to turn on the aircon during the day and i can use also the kids room while they were on summer vacation.
Lucky you
I encourage the worker to get this mean employer watchlisted.
If the domestic helpers go on 7 days strike these lazy people will bite the dust….smooth skin and dirty nature
Your helper is also human being and you know hk weather during summer is so bad even u open all the windows.. same story for my previous employer in teu keng leng before, they wont let me use the aircon i am only allowed to use fan, but since i still feel uncomfortable if the heat so turned the A/C then i foun out that may aircon is totally off and they even remove the plug in the sucket. Every day the same thing they do unplug it and i tried plugging it during the night until i get so surprize that they totally cover the sucket so that i cant plug the aircon their anymore.. so wicked right???
This ms wong so kuriput, dont take helpers, do all the tings by your self.
ako nga ayaw pagamit tinatangal nila ang saksakan ginawa ko sa inis ko linagyan ko ng scastipe. para d cla manghinala na ginagamit ko
What a stupid and a shameful employer, what if she is in the posistion of that helper without aircondition? I’m pretty sure she will be in trouble of that hell night.I really thankful to my employers of providing everything that I needed.
Employer Wong,something is wrong with you. Isn’t it time for you to consult your psychologist?
Cya kaya matulog sa kwarto ng maid n walang aircon kung makakatulog ng maayos sa init ng panahon ngaun..ang sama ng ugali..TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY U WANTED TO BE TREATED ..WHAT KIND OF EMPLOYER IS DAT HEARTLESS…
Everyday and every night im always use AC…because my employer know in hk very hot.my employer always turn on AC…my room not AC and he know very hot and he buy AC give in my room.and every nihgt im always turn on AC.
If she lives in this type of FLAT she probably don’t have money.
Wow huh……why u need to put air conditioning in your maids room if she was not allowed to use it…….
I have employer like that bfore and i sleep at the rooftop so hot Lucky i have a better place of working now even my day off i come with my aircon already turn on my employer .
Prang ganyan yung ex employer ko dati at ang nkakatawa parehas cla ng surname
They should treat the helpers better as they are the ones who are raising their children.