i assumed that good friday and easter monday were statutory holidays for helpers but later found out they are not. anyway, my helper took those two days off (maybe taking advantage of my ingnorance). i am a bit annoyed because i feel that she should have not taken those days off - surely she knows that those days are not statutory holidays for helpers as she has been working in HK for 5 years. i now have the correct and current list of statutory holidays. but what should i say to her??? i don't think that she did the right thing by taking those days off knowing that i was un-informed.... i feel she took advantage...
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oh i didn't know that many other helpers are given those days off too... i thought she was trying pulling the wool over my eyes. so yes, it's no longer an issue. thank you for your information cara. and yes, i forgive you for yelling at me. :)
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Did you discuss it ahead of time? Assuming on either side creates problems.
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well i always thought it was a holiday for them and when i found out it wasn't, i couldn't understand why she took those days off if it wasn't a holiday! but then when i found out that, in fact, it is very common for employers to give that holiday anyway, it made sense to me that she would take those days off without thinking twice. but yes it could have been completely avoided if it was discussed before-hand. at least i would have known what holidays i was agreeing too before i agreed to them. :)
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maxis
17 yrs ago
yes, well if yo always thought it was a holiday for them, well perhaps she did too.
Seems funny doesn't it that a "statutory" holiday isn't statutory for everyone eh? To have a group of people to whom statutes don't apply?
Good Friday is one of the most significant religious days for a lot of people, espcirall Christians which is many DH. They should get it off as of right.
b.t.w. I never checked my employment contract to see if I was excluded frmo statutory holidays - never ocurred to me that that was conceivable!
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From the tone of the OP's messages, she sounds as if she'd have been happy to give the time off, if her helper had had the courtesy to ask if she could have the Monday and Friday off. I can see why she's a bit annoyed and feels that she's been taken advantage of (although I accept that it is every employer's responsibility to be informed of their responsibilities etc.).
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maxis
17 yrs ago
All depends whether she was sneaky or not really doesn't it?
I like (and use) Blantant's policy of letting people have extra on te understanding that they may owe you (but not near as much as you give them).
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cd
17 yrs ago
just out of interest is Fri a stat holiday? I've looked at the list but it gives name of the days i.e. particular festival names as opposed to dates, and I don't know what festival this fri is a day off for.
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It's Ching Ming and is a statutory day off. Please refer to the labour dept website for a list of Statutory holidays
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You can find a list of the statutory holidays for this year in this way:~
On the Asiaxpat website on the left hand menu click on "Domestic Help". Scroll down to the very bottom of the page. Click on "holidays". This leads to the Labour Department website info about holidays. Click on the FAQ " what are the statutory holidays?" and it will give you a list.
These are the 12 statutory holidays and not the 16 public holidays. FDH are entitled to statutory holidays only. Some employers choose to give extra, by giving those public holidays which are not statutory, like Good Friday & Easter Monday for example. That is at the employer's discretion.
I print this list off at the beginning of the year and give one copy to my helper and keep one for myself. When I pay her at the end of the month, I notify her of any statutory holidays that are coming in the next month.
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