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
Kaya ko matiis ang Lahat pedeng matiis pero …ang sobrang init dito s hongkong ay kakaiba ….sobra parang impiyerno…d2 ako susuko yata
Npka mean ng employer na to,ikaw kya mg trabaho buong araw tapos nd ka mkatulog ng maaus sa gabi,ano kya mraramdaman mo???haist!!
Even me my employer allowed me to turn on the aircon day@night if i feel hot
Mrs. Wong the weather here is funny, summer super hot winter super cold, maybe your helper feel hot that’s why she turned on the air conditioner, her mistake dat bever ask ur permission. .
Actually in my room our air conditioner on whole night even day time
Some employers didn’t treat there domestic helpers as part of their family.they treated them as a slave.how could domestic helpers do there job if they can’t sleep good at night?
If she want her helper can do her duties properly then she must have good sleep at night or she must treat here good not like a slave because helper are not employers slave! . If she feel so hot why she can’t let her use aircon, what is the purpose she put aircon in her room if she cannot use it. And she want her maid will ask permission everytime she will use it? For what ? What if she feel need to use in the middle of the night which is employers sleeping, no point. She better not hired helper if she is rude.
For treat as human beings no need to ask others people opinions
You are not a good employer that’s what i know in the first place you know that the temperature now is very hot and you not allow your helper to use the aircon at night?
My boss allow me to use the aircon even during the day and never say anything as they know that hk is very hot and i am very thankful of that.helper is a human being too.treat them well and they do the same to you!
THIS KIND OF WETHEAR ITS SO HOT? THEN UR AIRCON MORE IMPORTANT THAN UR MAID HEALTH? WHERE’S YOUR BRAIN? MY GOD! IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOUR MAID, THEN WHO BLAME IT? COMMON SENSE? U THINK UR BILL IS GOING HIGH AND UR MAID HEALTH NOTHING? GOD BLESS U MRS WONG
I’m blessed my employer treat me well and letting me use aircon even thier kids not at home day and night they allowed me.
ms wong and all those people like this attitude too selfish and stingy people..you should considerate bec the weather now is to hot what if u in that situation what will you do, anyway if you treated your helper as a family you don’t care about airconditioner.what if will happend to your helper bec she have ( stroke ) do you think the insurance are include that? most here insurance just basic problem only! m wong think it before you do….. most chinese here are stingy some only are good! but im lucky my maam is good she is from china but my sir from hk very stingy in all things and bad man he used pointed finger to me if he angry that why now here daughter 2 yr and 8 months also pointed the to to him..
Siguro nga may Mali ang katulong,pero dapat wag naman e turn off habang ginagamit ng maid,una pano sya magpa alam kung tulog na sya?Pangalawa siguro talagang naiinitan na si kabayan kaya turn on na nya si a.c. with out asking permission, si amo naman Mali din ang ginawa pwedi naman nyang kausapin kinabukasan si kabayan.na sa sunod magpa alam sya diba?ngayon mag post ka sa fb madam sana iniisip mo muna ang naging consequences nito sayo kasi maraming amo na kampi sa katulong,Bakit ba May a.c. sa kwarto para gamitin diba yon ang purpose kaya non,katulad ko May a.c. ako sa room ko pero diko ginagamit kasi ayaw ko.fan ok na sa akin.kung minsan turn on ng amo ko pero pinapatay ko.binilhan din kami ng amo ko ng a.c. sa boarding house namin.ginagamit namin every Sunday.. kaya swertehan lang talagang ang mga amo at katulong,di naman lahat ng amo bad,may mga katulong din na salbahe.dapat dyan mag sorry na Lang both side forgive and forget start a new day diba.
Just simple ”madam”employer,why u don’t sleep in that room so that you will experience what your helper experiencing?
Just saying….
It is logic.What u feel during summer is same with your helper.Racist!
They are like that. In my case I only wore pantys and bra to sleep or else my 5hours of sleep is a hell. Weighing my eyebags.
ako nga room ko walang aircon. maliit lang na bintana yung fan ko nga mas malakas pa cguro pg gumamit ako ng pamaypay. pag gabi d ko na kinakaya ang init
I am one of the lucky domestic helper worked with only a couple employer for half of my life.my room is complete of everything gadgets to air con summer winter inventer type. They are not rich couple but true human being.
mga ibang employer tlga eh wlang konsiderasyon s mga helpers nila..wag nlng kumuha ng helper pra ung ipasweldo nya s helper nya ipambayad nlng nya ng kuryente nya..
Hindi kayo nagiisa ako nga.steambath evrynight during summer.ang room ko maliit isang bintana sa likod ng bintana makina ng aircon.bumili ako ng electric fan na umiikot….sa awa ng dios never akong nagkasakit pero mga amo ko sila ang palaging may sakit..
What is the purpose she top up an aircondition to that room.she might told every helper she hired that the thing is only a decoration so that helper will be aware of using it.the question aside from your being so good maam,did u hear ur helper complaining about overtym work?
She can stay in my employers house aircon is 24/7. Doesnt she know how hot hongkong is if she cant treat her maid well dont hire one. Post on facebook for what to let other employers and helpers know there is aircon in helpers room hello. I have aircon in my room i can turn it on anytime of the day.