A Filipino domestic worker was forced to sleep on a bed over two washing machines in a laundry room in Po Tak Mansion in Happy Valley in Hong Kong Island, according to a Facebook post.
The domestic worker said in the post that her bed was as long as a refrigerator and on top of two washing machines. She said she endured poor air quality in the laundry room when the machines were working.
The maid said her employers required her to return home at 7:30pm on days off to take care of their children. She also had to look after the children on holidays when her employers were out in the evening.
Worse, she said she was always emotionally abused by her employer.
“When I teach my employer’s 7-year-old child to behave and tidy up, he used the ‘F’ word and called me stupid-silly-worst helper,” she said in her post. Not surprisingly, she said she had left this employer.
Under regulations in Hong Kong, employers are required to provide a six-feet-long bed for domestic workers. However, the rules do not list more detailed requirements in regard to accommodation for workers.
Domestic workers are entitled to a 24-hour day off every week but some employers fail to meet the requirements.
The Mission For Migrant Workers (MGMW), a non-government group that services foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, has urged the city government to take action to ensure that foreign domestic workers are given proper accommodation – including a room and access to a toilet.
Read: Charity urges better accommodation for Hong Kong maids
Read: Legal challenge against live-in rule for domestic workers
Need to upgrade the law for workers and the contract actually the main problem is agency agent they never stand for helper always on the customers side even they know they are bad they stil giving them maid to make money because they know the girl will not last longer both will come back find another maid or job
Complains will end up terminated gnna lose the job and government will do nothing about it because you stand to fight for your rights in the end visa finish didnt find new job due to why left previous job reason
Me too for my first employer i sleep on the top of laundry cabinet when I up to sleep i directly lying down never seat because I’m almost reach on the ceiling down was drier and washing machine too
How u could say nice employer if they’d not treated thier helpers in A proper way?..
Make live out an option, if the flat is too small to accommodate your helper
Malinis naman atleast may sarili ci and room ndi tulad iba kasama mga alaga wala privacy room ko rin may washing machine ndi rin ako nakakhiga pero dun ako s alaga ko natutulog
Bago naman tayo hired amo natin ask tayo willing ka diba Tapos complain complain pa kayo importate te may tulugan pina pakain tayo husto….pero ok na yan tulugan mo malinis tgnan pero iwan ko lang s iba na wala din sarili room
Aisha Ahmed he’s being sarcastic ????
i agree with you coz we cant say no to employers who say can you pls.tidy up everything before u go off n after off needs to tidy up again.even though we have an important appointment cos its only one day off to do our transactions.i dont want to upset them but honestly to tell u frankly they dont think of that.even though u want to sleep more coz its ur day off u need to get up n get ready rather than aeeing u there n they start that "can you"…
naranasan ko mag stay out mahirap din,,,,,
How if a room located in terrace? I suffered on weather.
Naranasan ko din yan sa first employer ko dto 6hours Lang off anytime at any day nya ibgay bsta maisipan nya,tatlong bata alaga ko kaya subrang pagod tlaga nakakamatay tlga lalo na pasaway ang panganay nangangat at nanununtok pa,. Tas ang tulogan ko sa baba ng sampayan ng mga damit nila sa sala, tas pag nilalagnat aq nagpapaalam ako magpahinga konti nagagalit cya wala man Lang gamot kahit paracetamol lang sana., kaya after 6 months nagsagutan Kami kc gusto ko terminate na nya aq…tas un nakahanap nmn aq ng mabait na amo ngaun
The accommodation situaton in Hong Kong is becoming unbearable not just for domestic workers but for young local workers and professionals starting jobs.
My employer said I need to go home before popo dinner 6:00 p.m at night during my sunday off,and cook her breakfast before I leave
The employers mostly they didnt follow the laws they are law breakers…hoping that the govt must be will take action promptly.!
As i am experiencing today ( less food and less sleep ) that i made a mistake/regret on my part. the agency in the phils. Should secure to have food allowance and have own room before the dh signing the contract…. these 2 things are very important before the deployment of their domestic helpers.
Correction for this article is says some employers are fail to meet the requirements about the 24 hours day off of their helpers…well Asia Times not "some". Most employers are failing to meet and violeted the rights of the helpers…
yes, thats true, like my sister she work before she leave the employer house wakeup at 5:30am and leave at 8:00 comeback at 7:00pm to tidyup and massage the lady employer at 11:00to 1:30am wake again at 5:30am for the last two years her routine work, very worst employer i know in hk. she is one of the lawyer court in hk. i hope that the hk goverment will listen to the voices of the foriegn maid.
My frnd bed is inside the kitchen cupboard.. she needs to climbed up the sink then used folding steps . She needs ti crawled inside her tomb bed room…after a year her employer bought a new house… her new room??? At the toilet ceiling with a higher ladder…
me, i sleep under the stairs! and i am 5’6" tall and guessed my bed is just 5′ hehe
thats the BIG question here in Hk,no body is really assign to check such situation,before allowing the hk employers to employ a FDH,and making making sure that this Employer can really comply with the needs,and the necessity of a Helper.
in the other hand,a HElper should take as well the initiative ,to fight to her Rights and welfare,if she finds out that she is not being treated well and not given the proper accomodation.since we had a contract that requires them..to do so,and its a valid..and both employee and employer should agree with,not unless,they have a mutual arrangement…in such situation…