Employers in Hong Kong like to pride themselves on treating maids with dignity and compassion compared to the Middle East. But in a gossip column published on am730 earlier this month, a writer known simply as CK eavesdropped on a conversation about domestic workers at a birthday party.
He reported that one local employer bragged about how “nice” she had been to her new Filipino maid. She also pointed out that her domestic worker was her “seventh or eighth” in the past few years.
“I am her savior,” she said, referring to the maid’s last job in the Middle East, where she worked for a family of 10 and started work at 4am every day.
During the two years the maid worked in the Middle East, she was not allowed to take any holidays. “I have saved her from hell, so she can enjoy a good life in Hong Kong,” the employer told friends.
Yet these are just the basic human rights that all people deserve, CK said in his article. Domestic workers should not be treated as bonded servants, forced to work long hours without days off and holidays, he pointed out.
“Chinese employers should express their gratitude and be loyal to their domestic workers,” CK wrote. “They should treat their employees well and become better people.”
wow, how nice
My boss is a pure chinese in Macau i work 8 years to them.Im proud to say that im so very lucky to have a wonderful and very good boss.Theyt reat me as a member of the family.I work in hongkong before and all my boss are not good.Your rest is only sleeping at nite and the foods is limited how can you work if your tummy is hungry always.I have 4 employers there and none of them have a good heart.
Nobody should have a maid.
but still in my observation only 20% percent out of 100 is good employers..still 80% heartless employers in hongkong…even sundays off must have curfew and must work..very simple English offmean off but still they can’t understand…what if their boss from office will let them work during their off?maybe it’s world war 4 for them…not all but mostly inconsiderate people in hongkong
Awwwtsss..she said its her 7th or 8th maid! Wahooo if shes good her previous helper will stay.if shes a savior as she brags her helper wont reach to 7th ..hihi.if u are a good employer ur helper would be loyal to u.will stay with u until the time that u decide or she decide that u wont need each other.
As I read the article,the way the employer sharing how nice she is is such for self uplifting,as I knew an old lady (we live in the same building)she is boasting that her maid was lucky that she helps her taking care of her granddaughter but then the maid(we came together in same place,se language and culture)shared to how terrible her situation with them that makes her to find better employer a Korean family,now she recieve above the minimum salary with lots of spare time and private room.local employers looked their self like god though not all.
We are workers, not slaves!We have one thing in common, we are all human being,the only difference is you are the boss and we are the workers!
my employer giving me holidays but every holidays i need to come early prepare thier dinner sometime prepare for the family party….they all good but for me im very irritated couz i need to go home early very holidays to work again….sometimes i work for the 2 house bcouz grandma house is our nieghbor????????????????
Employer takes it as a big deal actually we all domestic helpers need a rest/holidays and it’s 24hrs as per contract stated but few employers won’t followed it and let the maid works for 12to 15hrs it is not fair and also the maid haven’t enough sleep because frequently the couple (employer) fighting arguing in the middle of the night .just saying!
Korek ka jan kabayan
Push mo yan Ading
Goodluck for the future
I have found many HK employers think they are good to their help but many break the law by taking the helper’s passport and papers or denying them the right to sleep out on their one day off. These workers are here to help support their families back home. They watch your children, teach them while you are too busy to. These are not just workers. They are an extension of your family. They protect your home, cook and clean for slave wages. Treat them with respect, pay them well and thank them every chance you get because they make your life easier.
exactly
haha,, 8 helpets in a few years,,yayyy
Following all what is stated in the signed contract is good..if the employers give more than that then that will be best weeeh!
most of the employers when they paid minimum wages,one they holiday In a week with matching curfew time, foods everyday they think that they are a hero so that some helper take them for granting , some helpers have to clean before leaving for holiday and obligatespecially them to comeback earlier to do some house hold.so sad
Most employers thought they are good by giving holidays. Actually its a must for all employees. . But normally and in reality most Hk employers treat their helper as a machine.. Work hard and think we are emotionless and not entittled to feel hurt.. About food..we are given not enough thats why most helpers got sick after working hard here in hk. Sad but we need to face the future consequence of our hard labour..
I pray and hope that hk employers must be well informed that helpers are human being that needs care.. And not a gadget that need to use and if they think the performance is not good they will throw away…
With a rapid turn over of helpers? That’s not a sign of a good employer
You don’t need to brag how good you treat your maid..am sure your maid will do the publicity..just be true to yourself..karma is just on standby.
That should be.