Whether domestic worker should engage in high-risk activities on their rest days became a heated topic over social media among Hong Kong employers and netizens on Monday.
A video clip was posted showing a woman in a hijab and life jacket jumping off a ten-meter-tall cliff at Rock Pools near Sheung Luk Stream in Sai Kung East Country Park in the city’s New Territories. Half of the hundred or so swimmers are Indonesian or Filipino maids.
Two Indonesian domestic workers, named Fitria and Nita, both on their days off, told an Oriental Daily reporter that many of their friends had visited the pond and taken part in cliff diving before, even though there was a sign warning people not to go into the water. The women were not aware of accidents involving maids at other locations in the past.
In 2014, a 32-year-old Indonesian maid was swept off the rocks by a 1.5 meter wave and dragged out into deeper water while posing for photographs with friends in Shek O.
Some local employers complained online that their maids refuse to take their advice to stay at home during typhoons. The said they felt helpless in such situations and worry about their maids’ safety, as well as their own responsibilities in the event of accidents happening.
According to the Standard Employment Contract for maids in Hong Kong, employers need to provide medical treatment for their workers if they are ill or injured, regardless of the cause.
Betty Yung Ma Shan-yee, chairperson of the Hong Kong Employers of Domestic Helpers Association, advised that employers should buy a comprehensive insurance policy for their domestic workers.
Chan Kam-hua, a member of the Support Group for Hong Kong employers with Foreign Domestic Helpers said employers have no right to limit their maids’ activities on their holidays; nor can they terminate a contract if a maid is injured participating in a high-risk activity.
Some netizens insisted domestic workers should be free to do what they like on their holidays.
Correct ding ding even if we are free to do what we want on our holidays or day offs we must be careful and nit to take or risks our lives as we also have families at home waiting for us.
Who would want to put her own life in danger? They were having fun, stress free day at least once a week, but accedent happens even you are in your room sleeping if its written in your book of life it’ll happen anyway.
I got your point Ding Ding…I agree with you, di nmn tayo binabawalan. Do extra careful lng… kc tayo din nmn talo pag maaksidente tayo.
Usually some employers when maid stay at home at the time of there holiday its just like regular working day, because they still asking to do some task etc. Same when some maid go out to their holiday and when they come back they need to clean the house most employer are super inconsiderate. Its just like you have to work every single coins of your salary. And its hard to the other employer to provide food to their maid they treat like an a animal just like you are not deserve to have good food.
What’s the difference of maid and dh
Pag holiday ,hindi tayo covered ng insurance ,kaya ingat tayo pag holiday natin…
pag wala tayong privacy, much better we go out kahit sa loob lang ng mall o maupo sa hagdan, kesa nag koconcern kuno yung amo eh utos dito utos doon , isang linggo ka na nga pagod ati holiday mo nga inuutosan kapa. mas gustohin ko nalang mag tambay sa backdoor
Olep Inlise panu kna nman po makakahiga kung sa sala ka lang nman pinapatulog..
Kahit nga day off dami pa din pinapagawa,madalas alas dose na nakakatulog..
Kaya asan yung safety na pinaglalaban nila,
Baka nga cla itong pinapatay yung katulong nila sa trabaho araw 2x..
Eam Ylednew my very point!
Maid wants to go out even there’s typhoon to avoid their employers presence and have peace of mind only for1day,I heard some friends saying ‘they wants me to stay because there’s a strong typhoon but I can’t rest at home’,well if they choose to go for swimming despite of the weather,now I don’t know whow to elaborate their mindset,but honestly,mostly prefer to go out because some employers are very demanding
like me I went out hindi dhil takot ako utusan kundi nkahiga ako want to sleep.than to go out pro hirap nman mtulog n nag complain ang tyan s gutom so no choice I decided to go out up to the person nman how to take care pag nsa labas ng bahay eh
Ding Ding ok nmang magstay sa bahay kung pinapakain nila ako, eh hnde nga makapag alok ng Pag kain,kaya its better nlng na. Lumabas makabili ako ng makain, safe kanga sa typhoon nanginginig ka nman sa gutom. Mag ingat naman ako ah.
Why use the term MAIDS . NOT DOMESTIC HELPER . What if you who reported this be called maid of your company for you are been paid to report as well? Remember majority of us DH are degree holder. pls dont discriminate us.
Ding Ding panu nman po yung mismo yung amo ang nagpalabas sa katulong nung kasagsagan ng T10?
Hindi po lahat ng amo kagaya ng sa inyu..
D na nga po pala bale,nka uwi na nman yung katulong sa pinas na may kasamang trauma..
hindi nmn kasi porket holiday natin eh sagarin na natin lahat, di nmn natin alam ang aksidente kung kelan darating…kahit nga nglalakad namamatay pa,nasa atin naman yun kung may pag iingat tayo sa sarili…andito tayo para magtrabaho para sa pamilya,now kung may aksidente man,tayo din nmn ang maapektohan, wala nmn mawala kung umiwas nlng sa mga risky places.para nmn saatin yun,…
Freedom on holidays/off days should not be a reason to do everything you want regardless how dangerous it is. It’s not about thinking you will be paid anyway or your Employer will take care everything for you in case of accident but it’s about your life. Remember that you get to where you are now because of your dreams, because of your family, and because you wanted a better life for them. You should always think about your dreams before you depart from your Country so that you’d know how to take care of yourself too. That is your life and life is precious, we must take care of it. It is not our Employer’s duty anymore to tell us, it is our own duty to take care ofour being so that one day, we can go back to our Families safe and sound and not a cold body.
Eam Ylednew typhoon here in hk dont last for even a day. only for how many hours. typhoon 8-10 lalabas ka pa, dahil lang ayaw mo sa amo mo? katulong din ako dito sa hk. mas iniisip ko kaligtasan ko kesa sa utos ng amo ko. hindi naman ako uutusan ng amoko ng 24hrs or habang may bagyo.
Do you know the reason why most of the DH prefers to go outside even if there’s a typhoon that may risks their own lives and safety?
What is the value of concern when most of them don’t even have an ounce of sense of consideration?
Better know for yourself first,before you conclude..
Hahahaha handcuffed pa more
Yes ,you are free at your own risk. You have families back home , if something happen to you, its your loss not your employer. Bec after they pay you back home coz by injuries, they can still hire new one. But on your side, you can no longer work for your families sake. So think about it. Some employers are just concern of your safety..