Employers of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong are planning to organize a petition and a demonstration to oppose the lifting of the “live-in” rule for maids.
Joan Tsui, convenor of the Support Group for HK Employers with Foreign Domestic Helpers, said most employers worried that workers would become lazy or could not perform well if they live separately, Headline Daily reported.
Working parents who greatly depend on maids to take care of their children in the morning worried the most if the maid would be late for work, she said.
Some employers also worried that their workers would want to do another part-time job illegally after work.
Tsui believed that if the “live-in” requirement was cancelled, domestic workers who live out for a long period of time in Hong Kong would have solid evidence for them to apply for permanent residency.
Tsui predicted that at least 100,000 of the 350,000 maids in the city would choose to live separately, and there was the risk of large-scale redundancies happening if the choices between employer and maid were different.
The live-in rule was introduced in 2003 and implemented via standard employment contracts and pledges when workers apply for visas.
The Hong Kong High Court heard in October a judicial review filed by a Filipino domestic worker against the “live-in” rule, alleging that it forces the workers to be on call 24 hours a day and puts them in a risk of being abused.
Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung said the ruling on the judicial review would have a great impact on society. He predicted that the side that loses the case will appeal, which means it may not be settled for two to three years.
JOAN TSUI IT IS BETTER TO LIVE OUT THAN SHARE A ROOM WITH KIDS OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HELPERS HAVE NO PRIVACY EMPLOYERS FLAT.
JOAN TSUI IF YOU WANT TO LIFT THE LIVE–IN RULE THEN. CAMPAIGN TO YOUR GROUP OF EMPLOYERS AN 8 hours of working hours 6 days a week. AFTER 8 hours will have extra pay. per hour.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND JOAN TSUI?
JOAN TSUI YOU HAVE A FUNNY AND WEIRD KIND OF THINKING. I CHALLENGE YOU FACE THE HELPERS IN A CONFERENCE AND HEAR WHAT IS GOING TO SPEAK OF THE HELPERS.
HELPERS WILL START WORKING FROM MORNING TIL MIDNIGHT AND FORWARD. HELPERS STILL WORKING ON OFFDAYS IF THEY NOT PREPARE BREAKFAST BEFORE GOING OUT THEY WILL CLEAR OFF THE MESS.
CAMPAIGN TO YOUR GROUP OF EMPLOYERS TO STOP TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE HELPERS PRESENCE. HELPERS ARE HUMAN BEINGS WORKING AS A MAID WHO NEEDS RESPECT AND NOT BELITTLE. HELPERS ARE NOT SLAVES.
Agree..
We just need privacy and enough time to rest.
Marites Mariano Tobias same tau… curfew ko dw 8:30… then i went home exactly 8:30…. she still complain…. then sabi bfore 8:30…. so cge lang ako… after that 8pm plang tinatawgan na ko para umuwe at magtrabaho
true… its not about doing illegal partime or able to do what we want to do thats why some of us wanna have this live-out policy… it just for us to have the right working hours….. and to have enough rest
Just make whole day kindergarten for our kids from 8am till 6pm like in my country and we don’t need helpers! I can clean and cook by myself very fast while my kids in kindergarten! It’s because KG only 3 hours so we have to hire helper
Hope they will strictly implement the exact helpers room accommodation and holidays.
same as me,I don’t have room I sleep on the floor in the kitchen. Holidays we need to clean the house before going out for day off.
it would be good to have defined working hours. Whatever a helper does in her free time should be his/her choice unless it affects the ability to work for the employer during the designated hours. I would like to have a helper but I also dont want a live in. We have the space but I would also like family privacy. I think employers and helpers should have privacy.