HONG KONG (SE): “Let us treat them with dignity and respect. Covid-19 is scary, but what scarier is our indifferent attitude towards people in need,” said Father Jay Flandez, chaplain for Filipinos. More and more foreign domestic workers have been fired or made homeless by their employers after testing preliminary positive for Covid-19, or denied treatment.
“I appeal to all employers to show care and concern for their helpers. It is not their wish to get infected. If they are infected, then help them, assist them. Consider them as part of your family as they serve your family. The contagion is only temporary and we should not be afraid to assist and to help,” the chaplain said.
“How can we build a better home when our household workers are homeless? We should not treat them as commodities because such behaviour degrades our morality as a person. Let us help them, not ignore them,” he said.
Father Flandez said that several workers who had contracted Covid-19 asked the chaplaincy for help through their friends. They were then referred to the consulate or other non-government organisations. Their main concern is having no place to stay as even hotels will not accept them.
How can we build a better home when our household workers are homeless? We should not treat them as commodities because such behaviour degrades our morality as a person. Let us help them, not ignore them,
Father Jay Flandez
Johannie Tong, community relations officer of the Mission for Migrant Workers based at St. John’s Cathedral, Garden Road, told the Sunday Examiner on February 28 that over 70 workers who had self-tested positive, had approached the group for help and were offered different kinds of assistance. They have offered accommodations to 20 of them.
Tong said some of the workers who approached the centre had a place to stay but were not offered food and assistance by employers. Some tested positive before they were to board a plane home and suddenly found themselves needing shelter. Some became infected in between jobs without an employer to care for them. Their employers abandoned some others once they arrived at the hospital. Some employers simply did not allow workers to stay home after a positive self-test result and contacted the group while waiting for government isolation facilities.
offered to an infected worker after she was abandoned by her employer in a house without any supplies.
Photo: Mission for Migrant Workers
The Mission for Migrant Workers offered emergency in the form of cash, food, water, rapid antigen test kits, medical supplies, warm clothes, blankets, personal necessities, Vitamin C tablets, power banks and accommodations.
The group implored employers, even if it is difficult to provide home quarantine, to treat infected workers as a family member who needs to be cared for, not be scared of. “Be concerned about their situation and help to reduce the risk of infection to other people. Even though they live together with your other family members, help them with their home quarantine. Wear masks and separate the use of common facilities. Offer food and medicine,” she urged.
…under the Employment Ordinance, employers are prohibited from terminating the contract of an employee on their paid sick day except in cases of summary dismissal due to serious misconduct. Employers found to have breached the ordinance are subject to a maximum fine of $100,000
For workers who test positive, they can call the service hotline of the group at 9529 2326
The mission has launched a fund-raising programme to support workers who are confirmed infected but have no place to stay. Details can be found by calling its donation hotline: 9529 0387 or through the website: https://donorbox.org/help-abandoned-domestic-workers.
While the government has appealed for foreign domestic workers to stay at their employers’ homes on their weekly days-off to reduce the risk of infection in social gatherings, Tong said the arrangement must be fair and voluntary. “Why is it only foreign domestic workers who are asked to stay home? Why not ask everyone to stay home?” she questioned. She is concerned that the workers may not get enough rest if they are paid to work an extra day on their days off, or, even though they are not required to work, there is no place to rest at their employers’ home.
The Labour Department, through news.gov.hk, reminded employers on February 24 that they should not dismiss foreign domestic helpers who have contracted Covid-19.
It noted that under the Employment Ordinance, employers are prohibited from terminating the contract of an employee on their paid sick day except in cases of summary dismissal due to serious misconduct. Employers found to have breached the ordinance are subject to a maximum fine of $100,000. They will also be considered ineligible to employ a foreign domestic helper for a period of time, and their visa application for a helper will be refused.
The department also reminded employers of a possible violation of the Disability Discrimination Ordinance if they treat their helpers less favourably, such as dismissing them because they have been infected with, or are recovering from Covid-19.
