I have asked our Domestic Help team to pass along questions that are frequently asked about hiring a domestic helper -- I will be sharing them on this forum on a regular basis.
Many employers are uncertain which public holidays their helper is entitled to.
Do helpers have the same number of days off as everyone else --- or are they eligible for fewer days?
And the answer is ... no... Domestic Helpers are not eligible for the same public holidays as the general population in Hong Kong.
There are 13 statutory holidays for 2022 that that your FDH is entitled to.
The 13 statutory holidays for 2022 are:
1. The first day of January 1 January
2. Lunar New Year’s Day 1 February
3. The second day of Lunar New Year 2 February
4. The third day of Lunar New Year 3 February
5. Ching Ming Festival 5 April
6. Labour Day 1 May
7. The Birthday of the Buddha* 8 May
8. Tuen Ng Festival 3 June
9. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day 1 July
10. The second day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival 12 September
11. National Day 1 October
12. Chung Yeung Festival 4 October
13. Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer) 22 December or 25 December
Source: Labour Department * The Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 has come into operation on 1 January 2022. The first newly added statutory holiday is the Birthday of the Buddha.
And here are the 13 statutory holidays for 2023:
1. The first day of January 1 January
2. The second day of Lunar New Year 23 January
3. The third day of Lunar New Year 24 January
4. The fourth day of Lunar New Year 25 January
5. Ching Ming Festival 5 April
6. Labour Day 1 May
7. The Birthday of the Buddha 26 May
8. Tuen Ng Festival 22 June
9. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day 1 July
10. The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival 30 September
11. National Day 1 October
12. Chung Yeung Festival 23 October
13. Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer) 22 December or 25 December
Source: Labour Department
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