Posted by
JKLL
15 yrs ago
We have had our helper since November 2008 and I need to terminate her contract.
Basically she is very dishonest and we have caught her out on several occasions stealing from us (changing receipts on shopping/charging extra for clothes alterations/things going missing all the time)
We have been far too generous with her from day one and have let everything go time and time again.
She was in the PH for 3 weeks in Feb (4th visit paid for by us) and is now back again as death in family (again paid by us).
When she left we paid her March Salary in full early
Now she locked her bedroom door when she left but left her window open. I went in to close then window after getting a locksmith to open door. When I went in I have found lots of items belonging to us. Lots of baby clothes (new unworn), jewelery, make up, sterling money and clothes belonging to me.
I have packed her room up and given her stuff to security to hold on to.
Now.. my question is.. If I terminate her contract with immigration how will she get back into HK (she is due back Tuesday). She is obviously not here to sign anything but she has been a helper in HK along time so she is not going to go quietly...
Any advise as to what I can do
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JKLL
15 yrs ago
Thanks Cara. In hindsight thats exactly what I should have done but was so angry at finding lots of my things that I just wanted her out. The new baby clothes taken from my sons room and hid away kind of pushed me over the edge!
Yes we were too generous. Fell for the sickness of family time and time again! A lesson well and truly learned!
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I think you need to involve police, she will be arrested and charged, change you locks in case she has duplicate keys. Make sure when she packs her stuff you have an independant witness to make sure she doesn't stache any more of your things in her case. If you don't involve police she will tell some sob story about her termination and return to work for some other unfortunate employer. I am really sorry you have had such a bad experience, she should be prevented from coming back to Hk ever.
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JKLL
15 yrs ago
I feel I have really messed up here. No point going to the police as I cant prove anything. To add to this I have gone through alot of my things and have noticed that a necklace and ring from Tiffany are missing. Again these are a good few years old, no receipts, I cant prove!
I am so angry about this whole situation. We have been warned about this helper and chose to ignore stupidly. Even her oldest friends have no contact with her as she was trying to get them to guarantee loans for her. She is paid 6500 each month plus mobile and eats everything with us so its not like she goes without.
Anyway - looks like I will just pay her a months notice to collect when she returns and hope she sees sense to leave it at that. Am sure she knows exactly what she has done so if she wants to take it further then will have to go to the police. Its just annoying as we paid her March salary in full early to her when she left for the PH last week for Dad's medicine (again!)
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The problem is, JKLL, that if you don't involve the police she will simply get another job in HK and start all over again; and that does not help anyone.
Even if you decide not to involve the police you can fire her on the spot with no payment in lieu. When she returns, simply produce all the belongings of yours that were in her room and ask her why they were there. You have every right to go into her room, it is your appartment, by the way, especially since she foolishly left a window open. She won't be able to give you a reasonable answer so fire her on the spot, tell her to take her bags and leave. You will of course have to pay for one last flight to the Philippines and travel expenses. Have someone with you when you do this.
Then immediately write to immigration, tell them why you have fired her on the spot, and additionally copy the letter to the Labour Department. That way if she has the cheek to approach the Labour Department, you have already stated your case clearly.
Frankly though, you really should refer the matter to the police. That way she won't be able to do this to anyone else.
She has abused your trust horribly. Letting her walk away is not the answer.
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I also think you should report to the police as there will be a record on this in case if it is needed in future.
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Milty
15 yrs ago
JKLL
Here's an idea. Get the stuff back from security and put it all back in her room. Lock the door. Wait until she comes back on tuesday and have a witness there saying that you would like her to open her door infront of her as you were concerned that the door was locked.
She'll still be caught out.
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JKLL
15 yrs ago
Thats a good idea Milty and had already crossed my mind! Problem is I am just weeks away from having 2nd baby and was a nightmare getting all the stuff out in the first place! If I had the energy thats exactly what I would do.
She called last night and my husband spoke to her and told her everything we found.. she denied everything and even had the cheek to tell him that the Sterling money she had in her room was hers and I was aware that she was keeping the money! She is just beyond belief! She denied everything else but when hubby said about calling the police she went quiet and starting crying. Havent heard anything since which is strange for her so am sure she has some sort of plan.
I just want it all to go away. I dont have the strength to fight her and feel totally drained and feel myself going mad trying to work out what else is missing! Cant believe how someone we treated so so well could do this to us. We are just a young family and we honestly do not deserve any of this. I just wish I used my brain before touching anything then wouldnt have the added worry of her filing complaints against us. Like I said she has been in HK for years and she knows all the tricks in the book!
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Milty
15 yrs ago
You have a lot on your plate and I'm sorry to hear that. Looks like the best option is to look towards the future. Do NOT let her back in your apartment, terminate her contract and pay her a months salary and be done with it. Report it to Immigration at the same time and to the police, so that this won't happen to anyone else and she'll have trouble getting another DH visa.
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If your husband has already spoken to her on the phone about the thefts, while she is in PH, she will probably not even have the cheek to try to come back to you, But I would still change your locks, she will probably at some time try to get back into hK to work for some other unfortunate person.
You should inform immigration about everything that has gone on, and I would personally have a chat to the police about the situation, tell the police you have given the stuff to security to hold on to. You don't owe her anything at all if she is instantly dismissed.
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Puttng the stuff back and pretending that you haven't found it is the stupidest idea on the planet. It makes you as much of a liar as her. Do not do that. As I said before, it is your home and you have every right to go in her room.
Now that your hubby has spilt the beans you absolutely have to report this to the police. I know they had a reputation as the most corrupt police force in the world, but they are actually good. They will take it seriously (mind that you get to speak to someone who speaks English) and it then means that your helper will not be able to inflict the sort of misery that she has quite obviously inflicted on you upon somebody else.
Have the strength to go this one extra mile and it will a) save you 6.5k (a month's salary. Why oh why did you pay her so much and give her so much slack? You felt sorry for her?) and b) stop anyone else from suffering at her hands.
Unfortunately her actions sully the reputation of all DHs in HK (like it or not) and she needs to be dealt with.
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spurtio
Did you have any bad experiences with the HK police ? I think it is rather unfair to make a statement like that about them
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Delightful, No quite the opposite.
You are correct, Cara, I should have said "had" not "have". I will correct my post. No, as I said they are good and will take it seriously. This is a very serious issue that JKLL has to deal with.
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JKLL, YOU do not have to prove anything and it is not too late to contact the police. You should do so immediately.
What you are doing is reporting a theft to the police (list all the items you found in your helper's room as well as those you subsequently discovered missing). It is up to the police to decide whether (and whom) to prosecute and they will only do so if they think they have sufficient evidence to make a legal case.
Your act of packing the clothing and failing to take a photo of the stolen goods has no bearing on this - it doesn't mean that the theft didn't occur, nor does it make either case stronger - she could still argue that you planted the items in her room and then showed them to the police/took a photo of them.
Report the theft to the police and contact Immigration for advice on immediate termination on the ground of suspected theft (until she is convicted she is entitled to the presumption of innocence and to defend the action).
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dace
15 yrs ago
hi, can anybody help us..
were filipino couple but only my husband is working here in hong kong.we are planning to get my cousin in Philippines to take care of our son. we want to hire my cousin but we dont want to go process in agency because for us its too very expesive. how can we get hire my cousin as helper here in hong kong. in a direct hire processing.pls some advice and ideas.
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If you read some of the other forums, I think you will find that you do need an agency to bring your cousin over from the Philippines. That's the rule nowadays, unfortunately.
Ed or Evelyn from Asiaxpat will be able to advise you more.
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$hk3,200- is that too expensive?
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JKLL, any update? By now one assumes your helper should have returned to face the music.
There is someone on a new thread with an almost identical predicament. Would be helpful advice for them to hear what notice the authorities took of your report (Police, Immigration etc).
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JKLL
15 yrs ago
After finding more and more items of ours missing I went and made a report to the police. Obviously I have no proof she has these items but they have made a note of what I am missing and they said they will speak to her.
I terminated her contract (reason - dishonesty and theft from our household) and have had a letter from immigration to confirm they have received our letter and confirmed her termination date (standard practice). She didnt fly back to HK as she was supposed to and we have not heard anything apart from her. We have found a new helper so have submitted our papers to immigration today so am hoping she hasnt made any complaints and this goes through ok.. we are moving in 2 weeks so am hoping to have this all behind us. Fingers crossed
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