Contract renewal - no salary increase?

I am considering whether to renew my DH after two years. As newcomers to HK in 2004, we were concerned at the apparent plight of DH's in general, and when we took on our's paid her more than the going rate (we pay HKD5700 p.m., including levy and food allowance). The work is minimal as our apartment is easy to keep clean/tidy, and we have two children who are at a pretty self-sufficient age and at school all day, but do still need baby-sitting. Our DH is OK, but not brilliant (though honest) and we have had quite a few breakages + the house is not as clean as if I were doing the work myself (no comments re "do it yourself" thanks..., that's not the point). We are at now at the stage of "better the devil you know", but don't want to pay any more - are we creating a potential problem for ourselves? When our DH seems less than happy with her lot we have noticed that breakages, doing nothing while we are out etc.. seems to increase...

Honestly I employ a live out local hire (HK resident) for less than that and it works out swimmingly for all concerned. If you are paying above 4500 per month you can find the same I am certain. The only requirement is that you have to have workers insurance which you need for a FDH anyway. You can place an ad for free on the Labour department webpage. Last time we did we got several qualified English speaking candidates.

Thanks for your help folks....Green, my helper is fine with knowing how to clean - it's just getting her to actually do it!!! Guess we just shouldn't have been so generous in the first place....wish I'd known about this website back then, but you live & learn....Chefcrsh, could you give me some more detail of working hours etc & can you have flexibility for when the hours are worked? (ie for occasional midweek babysitting) Sounds to me like a pretty good option.

Sure you can have flexibility. Basically the only requirement on hours is 1 rest day in 7. The rest is up to agreement between you and your helper. There is a sample contract http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/emp_cont/index.htm on the labour department web page as well as a guide http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/ConciseGuide.htm for staff and employers rights and benefits.


We use a roster system for our helper and we try to plan 1 month at a time. We give ours a five day week and 10 hour day, but I know a few people who do 6 days. It really is open to the two parties to hash out. One benefit in the early period is that you have a 3 month probation period. The first month requires no notice and a 1 month notice only after the 3rd month. Annual leave and Statutory Holidays are almost the same. Also all domestic help (not just FDH) is exempt from MPF.

When I had my contract renewed at work, my pay didn't increase. I ended up leaving anyway (for other reasons) - but I am not sure it is expected every contract renewal especially if the employee is on a very good deal - which it sounds like yours is comparitively speaking.

Thanks everybody for the input

Chefcrsh,

I'm investigating the posssibility of a live-out local & have been looking at the websites you gave me plus trawling the labour dept site, but could do with a little more info before I ring them. Where are you coming from with your figure of 4500 per month ie for how many hours approx & is there anything extra on top of that? (eg food allowance). I know that the going rate for part-time locals is about HKD 60 per hour, but is this a different kind of arrangement?

Well I said above 4500, we actually pay 5000 and nothing else no food, no transport, nothing. But the point is when calculating monthly salary plus all the other costs of a FDH you will find you are paying above 4500 per month already. Someone as generous as you is paying more than 6000 per month including all the costs. You can get full time local help for less than your total payout to a FDH (because of the flights and levy and board).


Local HK people have NO minimum wage requirement so it is really between you and them to negotiate a deal. I know of people who advertised for less than we did and got helpers. We advertised for 5K and got a lot of qualified local resident responses.


It is certainly full time given that our helper will put in about 220 hours a month.


The people you are quite likely to have respond are dependent visa holders from many of the same countries as FDH, the difference is that they are married to a HK resident and so have right to work. If you place an ad in Chinese and are able to manager your helper in Cantonese you will also get a lot of mainland and local Chinese respondents.


As perspective a starting cleaner in the mid end western restaurant or a vegetable worker in a supermarket business in HK makes about $5500 for 6day/260 hours. Fast food shops pay less than $20 per hour for the full time middle aged and elderly staff you see working in them. Believe me, there are a lot of people in Hong Kong making due with less than $4500 per month.

Thanks a lot for all your help. That's been really useful & I think we could well be pursuing this avenue.