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.
Read: Heatstrokes reported amid hot weather, poor air quality
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.
Read: Catholic newspaper slams government for ignoring maids’ rights
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 so lucky to have a very considerate and warm hearted employer,she allows me to use air-con whenever i need to and would even scold me if i won’t turn it on while the weather is so hot,she’s really kind woman so different from most of rich people i knew and shes very,very generous too
Porke katulong…. Pano Kaya pag sila din nasa situation natin… As if makayanan nila… Lalo Ngayon grabe ang init…employers din must be considerated
Same here po tayo. Open din akonsa aircon. Kpag super lamig na nagigisinh ako sa madaling arae pinapatay ko na kasi lamig na lamig na ako. Syempre considered ko din naman sometimes ang kuryente. Kung tolerable naman ang init y need to use. Pero this summer tlga as in ang init kaliligo mo lang pawis na. Kaya naintindihan ko bakit nya binuksan. Kakasad lang kasi may mga amo tlgang ganun.
how lucky i am becoz … my mam always turned on the aircon for me
Iba-iba ang amo. May madamot..at may hindi.
Iba naman ako..binilhan ako ng Air-con dahil ayaw nila akong magsuot ng sleeveless na damit..araw at gabi pwidi akong mag-aircon..kahit naglluluto ako..may mga amo talagang madamot
Mga among manhid di dapat sinisilbihan yan!!
Im really thankful even my previous employer there is no problem if we used the aircon, they always asking us if your room is hot u can use the ac, even my new employer now the entirehouse always switch on the ac.
Yung employer ko nun pag wala na yung anak nua sa room namin pinapatay nua aircon di man lang i on yung fan napa kabastos
aircon is free anytime here in my employer’s hse. even nobody’s using it. aircon is on especially in the afternoon because the clothes needs it. hehe.. true, kahit walang tao sa bedroom naka on ang aircon para daw malamigan ung mga damit sa wardrobe. sa living room and kitchen take turn na naka on kasi kylangan ng pusa at aso. minsan naka jacket ako dto sa loob ng bahay. galit pa sakin pag diko on ung aircon hahahhah
aircon is free anytime here in my employer’s hse. even nobody’s using it. aircon is on especially in the afternoon because the clothes needs it. hehe.. true, kahit walang tao sa bedroom naka on ang aircon para daw malamigan ung mga damit sa wardrobe. sa living room and kitchen take turn na naka on kasi kylangan ng pusa at aso. minsan naka jacket ako dto sa loob ng bahay. galit pa sakin pag diko on ung aircon hahahhah
Why did you install A/C In her room in the first place if you cant let her use it during the night..what a meany employer! And why do you need someone’s opinion or other employers to ask if they let their helpers using the A/C dont you have brain? Sleep in your room without aircon so you will know the feeling…Such a selfish behavior…saksak mo sa baga mo ang aircon mo…
wow!���! this employer is so mean���. I am blessed ���because GOD gave me ��� employer who is very kind��� to me. what they eat I ate ���too and my boss told me to open the air con.because the weather is very hot,��� he raised my salary too and ���no curfew, they didn’t force me to work. no do this��� do that. happy maid ���happy life ���that is why I love ���my employers very much with their ���kids of course
thank you God
Yes, this is my room and the airconditioner is well covered. And the fact is, she is very greedy that even the chili oil she kept inside the cabinet of her child’s room.
Before my employers’ family went to d states for a one month vacation she narrated to me what she and her friend have discussed about using aircondition.she asked my boss if they are letting me use d machine or any any machine (sometimes d humidifier) when they arent at home. And my boss told her yes she can use any of them esp d aircon even we are not home. There are some employers try to brainwash other (good) employers thus ruining a harmonious relationship between employer-employee relationship.why not try to put yourself into that situation if u can stand a minute of it.do u think a helper would want to work for a long period of time to a fault finding employer? Practice give and take relationship 🙂
Wong should try to sleep too without an AC on and see if she could sleep.Helpers work so hard and needs a good sleep.She’s so mean and very selfish to her helper treating her like a slave.Maids are also human and need to treat them nicely.
Its like nah prang gusto nya e emphasize nah di maganda ung ugali ng helper nya kasi hindi nag paalam jusmmeeee! Naman ang init kaya ng panahon.put yourself to your helpers shoe so that you would know. Sometimes they dont have considerations to their helpers. Sometimes also they are boastful bcoz they have helpers. Masarap pag winter fully airconditoned..�
They dont want to give a freshly cook food…they have yo eat first..whatever left thats the dinner …so what i do is i jyst eat rice n soup…coz i dont know wether saliva is there on the fiid even though there is serving spoon
Kung naulan clise lahat ang window
Tapos sila sa living room naka aircon
Close nila kitchen door…sobrang hirap
Dto ang hirap ayaw nila open ang aircon..sobrang init .kapqg nag open sila sa libing room lng at close nila kitchen..sobrang init dto stire room loubdry area kc nga walang hangin
Sila ng nag aaircon…basang basa uniform ko till 9pm pa nakatayo ..fr 6.30am till 9.30pm na nakatau ako..ayaw nila umupo ang helper nila..ang sakit sakit ng paa ko..kaya gysto ko mg sumbong sa migrants ofice…ayaw nila na mgrest ka .kahit tapos na work
Kung ano ano pinapagawa …kahit katatapos mo pa lng kumain
Kaangan work na nman…
Mabait naman amo ko pero ayaw din pagamit aircon sa room ko, akala nila fan is enough to ease the heat when youre sleeping.e sila nga di makatulog walang aircon e..sa maghapon pa.