Messy kitchens are probably the last things that foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong want to see on Sunday evenings at the end of their weekly day off.
Several months ago, a Facebook page named “OFWs in HongKong” posted several pictures of a messy kitchen and complained that many domestic workers could not enjoy a full day of rest on Sundays. This raised the question of whether employers have the right to ask their maids to help clean up their kitchens on Sunday evenings.
According to Hong Kong’s labor law, a rest day is defined as a continuous period of not less than 24 hours during which an employee is entitled to abstain from working for his employer. However, some employers try to impose their own interpretations on this rule.
An old post on Baby-kingdom.com, a popular website for married couples in Hong Kong, initiated a discussion with the question, “What if your new domestic worker says she is entitled to have one 24-hour rest day per week?”
A lot of employers agreed that they did not have the right to ask their maids to clean up messy kitchens on Sunday evenings, but many of them admitted that they expected that their domestic workers to do so “voluntarily.”
Some said that if domestic workers didn’t do so on Sunday evening, they would have to get up earlier on Monday morning to wash the dishes. Some others said the 24-hour rest day could start from 9pm on Saturday and end on 9pm on Sunday.
Some employers also said they felt unhappy when a new domestic worker tried to “threaten” them by mentioning the labor law. Others said they could ask their maids to rest on a weekday, instead of Sunday.
Some netizens, however, spoke up for the domestic workers by stating a simple fact: No one wants to work on holidays.
My experience was10 times worst than that, after 10 months I said goodbye????????????????
Yes im also didt..every sunday im must back early need go to market and cooking for them family..at least 2~3 family..this is call rest day?
If im complain they not happy eneither
Ganyan din sa akin.. labas ko 10 or 11 balik ako ng before 6 kasi luto pa ako ng food ni amo.. matanda na kasi kaya pagbigyan pero hndi talga enjoy ang day off.. once a month lang labas ko????????????
I really cant imagine employers house with out helper.
mosr of the employers no consideration to thier helper rest day.
What’s annoying is that employers do a lot of ranting and lecturing to helpers when helpers dont do that "voluntary" helping. They do it especially during pay day which makes us helpers humiliated as if we did not sign a contract.
4410 po pla salary?bkit skin 4310 lng po?
Jerald Jelyn Jhersey well I do know there are at least a few good employers but your probably right I’m dreaming. That would give too much power to the workers. Something unheard of in HK for any industry, much less their domestic helpers.
Evaluation….impossible to happen as if the agency give that to the applicant. If they read about the feedback of previous helper.who would like sign?
…hindi nman kaya nasusunod yang 24hrs day off na yan…ung iba kailangan pa gumising ng maaga para mag work till 8:30 bago umalis ng bahay at 9:00 pm curfew kailangan nakauwi na…kaya in reality less than half of the mentioned holiday hours lng ang nako consume ng isang katulong…????????????
ever since..its so unfair to us..most helpers sleeping or finish work during saturday night 9-11 pm or over..how come we get 24 hours rest? we helpers
must be follow the rules..pleasing serves visitors for a month?pleasing overtime during your holiday bcoz if you refuse to say NO it comes to angry it is right?
what you think to us?so unfair!!!
???????? worst is mine… My restday weekdays ones a month… Yes they pay the other Sundays… If one month have four Sundays they pay the three… But guess what in my holiday bcoz I takecare of a baby… I need to go out in the hause after I put the baby sleep from 10-11 am.. So that time I can prepare myself to go out…. But I need to come home 5pm to take care again of the baby… I I go home late my employer is questioning me why I’m late.. And always telling me the baby is waiting for me, she needs to sleep… Can I ask more questions here… The baby is not written in my contract… Do I really need to take care of the baby?
Precisely helpers are not slaves , they are human being that need rest.
Nakarelate ako sa unang amo ko..daming do’ s and dont’ s.. controlled ang galaw, d pwedeng magdecide ng sarili mong opinion..8:30am ako labas ng day off pero maglinis muna ng bahay bago alis, balik 8:30 ng Gabi pero ala ako susi,,if ala cla wait ko cla pag uwi Saka lng ako makakapasok…daming work pa pag uwi
On my side here.I have bb here and my problem is my sleeping time.sometimes i can sleep 1am .cos 11 pm my madame feed the baby even if the baby is sleeping they will take him to thier room.and then after that the baby is awake or sometime crying.they put back to baby’s bed.(here in my room) so even if I sleep ….I need to wake up to make the baby sleep.and I wake up 6:30.but my madame said I can go back to sleep ..but because I need to prepare breakpast for bb so just an hour of sleep
In my case pagngpaalam kng maaga llabas madami tanong kesyo d pwd kc slyp pa ang bata need mopa asikasuhin bgo ka labas 10 pinakatagal kng labas balik 8 pagnalate kpa ng 10 minutes katakot -takot ng sabon
True
tama ka madam madam!
most of the employers are KAPALMUKS. they were not asking their employee to work during sunday, coz they dont want to pay overtime .they want that the employee work voluntarily coz its free..
Hi ,Everyone!
Common sense! Employers what do you understand the word REST DAY,? I know most of the employers are employees also, but ,may I ask you do you work during your rest days (Saturdays and Sundays right)?Of course not ,so why not give your workers a REST DAY!
We foriegn domestic workers, are overworked we are 24hrs on call.As long as the employers are awake, we are there to attain their needs even a very simple one! Many employers believed in the saying "what are workers for!)
Give your workers ,enough food, rest, respect, !
If the workers are well rested, they can perform their duties well ,and this will create a healthy environment and a healthy relationship between employers and employees!
So my fellow FDW’S let ‘s unite ,fight for our rights, because we are WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS,WE ARE NOT MACHINES ,WE ARE WORKERS NOT SLAVES !
GIVE LIVE-OUT AN OPTION!
INCLUDES ALL FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKERS IN A LEGILATE WORKING HOURS REGULATION!
RATIFY C189!
Ako bago mag day off mg aalaga muna ng bata…pag uwi ..mgluluto,mghuhugas ng pingkainan nila,papaligo ng bata mgpapakain ,papatulog,nglilinis ng kalat at c.r.at the end natatapos din 11.useless din ang day off.????