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neighbor treats helpers like slaves

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ORIGINAL POST
Posted by gabriellebradley 13 yrs ago
Hi,

I need to know what agency I can contact regarding the treament of the helpers that live next door. I'm not talking physical abuse, but mental abuse. In addition, he doesn't give them a food allowance. he makes them cook, his meals as well as theirs, in the stair well. When he leaves on holiday, he makes them return food tot he store or no more shopping till he returns, the fridge is empty! I cook double so they can eat! Beside wanting to bash his head in, what are my options. BTW, I don't care what he thinks.

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COMMENTS
gabriellebradley 13 yrs ago
OK, 9 people have responded to my request. why can't I see them,? What am I not doing?


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homely 13 yrs ago
Same question as cara's...how can they cook in the stairwell? The management of the building should be informed to put a stop to it (that's what you can do at this point). You wrote helpers so there is more than one. Did they tell you the fridge is empty or you had a look into it? Try to make sure the facts before acting on legal matters but it's kind of you to give them food.

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hkwatcher 13 yrs ago
Take pictures and report it to Labour Department and let them take care of it. Proof is necessary.

A food allowance is not required under the law, but providing food is required even if he is HK or not. Cooking is part of the job, so I don't see that as being a problem. The problems is probably where the cooking takes place, but no food is against the contract and should be taken up with Labour Dept.

Contacting IMD won't do you any good at all. Also, it is not up to you find them another employer. They need to take a case against the employer (not you the OP) up with the Phil. Consulate and Labour Dept.

Good luck

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Beer Monster 13 yrs ago
Yes, I concur with Madtown. Similar behaviour where I live with a neighbor abusing his helpers. I show them my support by buying extra groceries for them and encouraging them to take photos of the many illegal acts (working from 06.00-midnight or later every day; having to clean several houses, offices and warehouses; filling up his cars with cheap mainland petrol; working all hours and not being given 24 hours off a week; not having enough to eat; passports confiscated etc. etc.) so they have evidence for the Labour Dept when they are in a position to quit. He has a huge staff turnover and I suspect he still doesn't get why.

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Jupiter105 13 yrs ago
It makes my blood boil in HK how people have no regard for helpers lives


Over the past 2 days public holidays I have seen a lot of the domestic staff in our building still working..... FFS let these people have a life too


Are these employers really that incapable of taking care of themselves & their family for one or two days that they rob the staff of some nice down time with their friends and family


Makes me sick

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axptguy38 13 yrs ago
"Over the past 2 days public holidays I have seen a lot of the domestic staff in our building still working..... FFS let these people have a life too."


Word. It drives me nuts too. Our neighbor's helper was in tears because all her friends were off and she wanted to be with them. But the employers simply informed her she could take her days off later in the week when they are away. They didn't even ask her if she minded!!!

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gabriellebradley 13 yrs ago
Thank you all for your advice and kind words. I did check the fridge, a bottle of wine, unopened and a bag of rice. I have said the same thing-leave-fast as you can. easier said than done. I do cook extra every meal and buy extra grocieries, but she has to hide it. I will report the cooking in the stair well, but apparently this has been the way it was for years. they use a canned gas burner and wok

Again, thanks

GB

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lagrue 13 yrs ago
I do not agree with you and others that you should trespass on a strangers home and check out their kitchen/fridge and whatever else you took a look at. I don't think you'd like it if this guy was to take a little nosy poke around your home when you weren't there because your helper let him in for whatever reason. Totally inappropriate.

Once my neightbour's maid invited me in to take a peek at their home after their renovation, I declined as it is none of my business and I was not interested. I have warned my helpers that no-one other than people I invite into my home should come into my home.

I agree with advising the helper to run for the hills/ helping her with some food/ reporting the cooking in the stairwell to the management but I think going into someone else's home illegally just about crosses the line.....

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Fixer 13 yrs ago
Agree with lagrue. The helper is totally out of order when she invites a stranger to the house without her employer's consent.

Why haven't you reported the cooking in the stairwell to the building management? Surely this poses a fire hazard to all tenants and contravenes building regulations.

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Cossac 13 yrs ago
As others have said, tresspassing on someone else's property is really crossing the line and is unjustified here. Having sadi that, for future reference, you should refer the helpers to the following organization which works with attorneys and helps address helper's rights.


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illmatic 13 yrs ago
I really doubt they have her cook in the stairwell. Why would a person want there helper to go cook there meals on the stairwell? I call trolling.

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axptguy38 13 yrs ago
I don't find it hard to believe at all. Small apartments and employers who don't give a crap leads to cooking in the stairwell. This sort of thing is not uncommon unfortunately.

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seaurchin66 13 yrs ago
On the subject of helpers.. I need to ask if HK government legally allows helpers then why are apartments not equipped to accomodate them? I have seen many apartments without helper rooms or wash rooms. Where do these poor women sleep? on the kitchen floor?? or do emplpyers put them up outside their premises. I naively assumed that all apartments had these provisions when I first moved now it seems its only the more expensive ones that do.

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seaurchin66 13 yrs ago
On the subject of helpers.. I need to ask if HK government legally allows helpers then why are apartments not equipped to accomodate them? I have seen many apartments without helper rooms or wash rooms. Where do these poor women sleep? on the kitchen floor?? or do emplpyers put them up outside their premises. I naively assumed that all apartments had these provisions when I first moved now it seems its only the more expensive ones that do.

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brightspark 13 yrs ago
Honestly find it hard to believe too that cooking is done in the stairwell.

Dont other neighbours mind??

What sort of building management would allow this?

And who takes the liberty of going into another persons apartment and checking their fridge!!!

The best way out for these DH is for you to employ them.

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axptguy38 13 yrs ago
According to the law, helpers don't need their own room or their own bathroom. Employers are required to provide a "private space", or the helpers can sleep with the children.


Unfortunately many employers flaunt the rules, and helpers are known to sleep on fire escapes, under the kitchen table, on the living room sofa (obviously after everyone has gone to bed), in an alcove created under the kitchen bench, and so forth. I recently heard of one whose space was so short that the employers had knocked out a hole in the exterior wall and made a sort of sack that stuck out of the back of the building so there would be room for her legs and feet.


As for cooking in the stairwell, it is probably the back stairwell first of all, so probably just used by helpers and deliveries. I suggest you go to any "local" areas and walk up a few stairwells in walk-up buildings. It is quite an eye-opener if you have only been in expat areas.

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Susie1 13 yrs ago
Yes, the stairways in some of the older buildings are very dangerous,, cracked concrete steps, fires lit to cook, blocked with all kinds of rubbish, a disaster waiting to happen, Like Mong kok did! I have walked up stairways like this in Sham shui po.



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