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.
Cleaning/tidy up during rest day isnt matter. The problem is very simple. The helper is on holiday meaning REST DAY no work. So when the employer or member of the family mess up. They must know and probably they should know and learn to tidy up those things that they made. DO NOT ASSUMED THAT "OH MY HELPER WILL BE BACK LATER SHE CAN DO THIS"
I hope labor will give notice to all employers in hk, a lot of employers who are not following the rules. Number 1 problem is food, I suggest about helper’s food allowance will be a mandatory because in my case my employer didn’t shoulder my breakfast I am the one buying my bread and coffee,my lunch and dinner is always left over she never give proper food for me and my co helper,we dont even eat new foods even veggies.
Hoping that meyron din clang law sa oras dahil kadalasan sa mga helper nagtatrabaho prin cla till 2am…at wala nmang bayad ang over time…kaya ng.ka2ruon cla ng ibat ibang sakit dahil sa kulang sa tulog at stress….
nakakaasar yung employer na nag tanong na "What if your new domestic worker says she is entitled to have one 24-hour rest day per week?”, punyeta tinatanong pa ba yan sakin nya itanong yan busalsalin ko bunganga ng inchik na yan.
tamaanugang q bago umalis linis,pahandwash muna amo tapos pag uwi trabaho ulit hanggang 11 to 12 midnight
sa akin ok lng as long as mabait ang amo ko,, basta dagdag sahod,,, masaya ako,,,,
Please don’t generalize and say that housewives with helpers will become lazy. For some people a helper is an invaluable part of their family and is not just there for housework, but also to have someone you trust enough to leave your kids with should you need to go out. Remember a lot of people in HK don’t have any family or support system here. However, I do agree that 15K is way to low a salary to be able to afford help.
Sama,sebelum keluar d minta nyapu ngepel,bikin sarapan.habis libur masih kerja lagi.gratis tanpa makan.adil kah?
That’s disgusting
It’s not right
Hi.
How yo join in this union?
I’m just more than 1 year here.
How terrible! I would never expect my helper to work on her holiday, she derserves to have a nice day off and not worry about coming home to a messy house. If you treat them well, they will also treat you well. It’s simple!
Employer’s should know that domestic workers are human too. They should treat them nicely even in giving them a holiday .If your boss given you a holiday 24hrs.Give also a 24hrs to your domestic worker.
My boss said no free lunch!she mean that no free of charge in hk, that gave me the idea well no free maid and no more me buying my food I have to really get it from my food alowance my contract stated I’m suppose to have,now I come back from off day no more washing dishes n tidying to do,I have to learn from my boss,yeah think about it they hire us cause they have to pay us so I work hard so much that I also have to get paid n be satisfied
Nag off ka nadatnan mo ng may linisin ka linisin mo na wag ng magreklamo..isipin mo nlng na mas mahihirapan ka pag kinabukasan mo pa lilinisin,,
For me is not a big deal for this situation, if you can do,do it why not? just feel at home,,need to cooperate for your own good,,if you let them know you have good personality specially for cleanliness,,no wonder they will rehire you until you want to work or you can work….may mga pinay talagang reklamador,,aminin ko ngrereklamo ako pero nasa tama ang pagrereklamo ko base on my contract,,,
sometimes it is difficult to complain that it is your day off because some employers if u comolain they eill terminate there helper, sime employers really rude
Tulad sakin 4,210 lng sahod ko kasi dec 2015 pa
Bebyzej Dhenjhez Torres sis nung October lng nag increase ng salary ginawang 4,410 so sa mga bagong contract lng 4,410…
In my situation number is my employer is not following hongkong law… she always scared me to terminate me if im asking about the time of my day off.. because they let me go out 10-10:30am until only 6pm.. sometime half day 4 hours friday, halfday saturday.. she always shout at me if im not following her.. so maybe need to be strictly fallow the law of hongkong to all employer her in hongkong..