The licensee of an employment agency in Tai Po in the New Territories was convicted of overcharging three domestic workers and fined HK$15,000 (US$1,918) in Sha Tin Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The Court also ordered the agency to refund the excessive placement fees – totaling $2,638 – it charged the three domestic workers.
In September 2017, the Labour Department’s Employment Agencies Administration received a complaint from the three workers about Familia Employment Agency in Tai Po. They said the firm charged an excessive commission, according to a government release.
The Labour Department later decided to prosecute the agency, as the workers agreed to assist an investigation, and they had gathered sufficient evidence.
Familia is the second employment agency convicted of overcharging this year.
The first one was Quality Consultants Agency in Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui, which was convicted of overcharging a domestic worker it helped to look for a job overseas.
Under the law, an employment agency is not allowed to collect any fees or charges from job seekers other than the prescribed commission, which is set at no more than 10% of the latter’s salary in the first month once a job has been found for them.
Meanwhile, the chief secretary for administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung wrote on his official blog that Wednesday will be an important milestone for the passage of the Employment (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2017 to strengthen the regulation of employment agencies and enhance protection for domestic workers.
The legislative proposals under the Bill seek to increase the maximum penalties, from a maximum fine of HK$50,000 to HK$350,000 and up to three years in jail for overcharging job-seekers.
The government also proposed widening the scope of the offense of overcharging domestic workers to the associates of a licensee, such as managers and staff in employment agencies.
Read: Employment agency fined, told to repay overcharged maids
Matakot na kayong mga dorobong agency…may kalalagyan kayo…
tama lang yan sa mga agency sobra sobra clang makasingil..
Dapat humihingi ka Ng resibo sA tuwing magbabayad ka Kung ayaw magbigay Ng resibo ay ivideo mo sila at magsalita Karin sA video Kung magkano Yung sinisingil Ng agency sayingat Kung magkano pa dapat mong bayaran sA kabuoang halaga, maging wise din sA mga pagkakataon na Ganyan para Walang many abuso na taga agency
Grace Sanidad ilang beses n ak bang hiningi s sknilang resibo.. pro Hindi tlga nagbigay.
But some agencies they dont ask placement fee but at medical they will over charge and tell ur not fit so you go back for mrdical again and when its ur flight they will ask u to write a note that you never pay to them but tha seminar fee is over charge
punta ka HELP for Domestic Workers jan sis. magpatulong ka. St. Johns Cathedral
4-6 Garden Road, Central
Galing ka pinas?yong ibang agency 13kHKD singil kasana training at med.
what about mine,.18k hkd,6mos to pay for 3k a month,but god is good they give me good employer that give me 5500k salary even my contract only 4210,.still thanks to u agency but next time pls don’t do like that we don’t know our employer when we come here,.I just close my eyes evrytime I pay to the agency for 3k a month,.at least I reach hk with good employer without them I may not be here but I’m not saying it’s good bka I bash ako ng iba..peace hehe
Helo sis msg u q s msngr pwd q ma kuha ang documents u s agency taga PLUDW-HK aq regsterd kmi under labour HK..madami n kmi na tulugan same case sau at kmi dn yan ang nag file ng case against FAMILIA AGENCY..
D nmn po ang agency ang nag bgay sau ng employer..ang employer po a g pumili s n u way lng ang agency to process our papers..
Byen Casper same as well without agency di din ako mpipili ng employer,in the first place di k know employers ko before ako ngapply,and di rin nila ako know agency mgkkakila at employer ko,.