Runaway issue

My helper has up and run away on me. I think she is going to try to go back to the US on MY visa based upon the phone calls that she made on my US phone as well as her HK phone...which I paid!


She ran up my phone bill by $7800 HKD for one month while the in the US...so it looked like she had a plan.


She returned from the US on Sunday evening, telling me immediately that she had dirrhea and that she would be sick for 2 days and we wouldn't see her around. So, I didn't think much of it, ran up to get her some medicine and hushed my boys so they wouldn't bother her.


Well...low and behold I get an e-mail from her son saying that he was SHOCKED to see his mom in the Philippines on Monday!!! Well needless to say...so was I. he said that his mom was going to go the hospital to run some general tests. Before she left the US she threw out an odd comment and said :"if I wanted to go, I could just say I was sick" I asked her point blank if there was any reason I should worry her leaving me and she said "no...I was just saying for example".


Well needless to say once I got that e-mail I ran to her room to find all her personal belongings gone and her drawers emptied with only her winter clothing left behind!


I went to the police to file a missing persons report, then went to immigration and gave them a letter, faxed the same letter to the Philipines Consultate as well as the American Embassy.


The piece that I don't have closure on is a formal letter to her. She is still missing her final pay...which she owes me 6K in personal airline tickets to the Philipines for her and her sister as well as 7800K in phone bills AND not to mention the items that she took with her...my suit case, my car keys and my desktop monitor.


So, do I hire an attorney to bring closure to this or send her a copy of all the documentation that I provided all the embassys as well as immigration about her disapearance?


any advice?


BTW...on average she made between 6 to 6750 per month, plus phone, plus the levy...so I totally overpaid the woman, nor did we ever yell at her...nothing! BAsed upon her phone calls it looks like she wants to go to work for her old employer who moved to the US...on MY visa.


I got the e-mail Tues morning

She did have a multi entry 2 year visa

yes your right on the money. Her previous employer left at the end of November and this is when all the mystery began!

I would also contact the previsous employer... just to let them know what she did, not in an accusing way, but they might not realise she has this side to her.


I would also document everything in a formal letter to her for formality. I would not waste money on a lawyer, unless you have access to one for free/cheap, as I don't think it will get you anything. But a police report is a must.


What a bad experience for you, too bad she couldn't be honest and tell you she wanted to leave.

sorry to hear about your troubles. was curious how did your helper manage to get a multi-entry US visa? was she working for you in the States?

We traveled to the US often and I normally travel with my children alone there...she was married and has a home in Manilla. She said she didn't have any relatives there at all, so they gave her a US visa. Now...all of a sudden she has 2 relatives there!!! Shock and surprise! HA! She was one smart cookie. the US visa is relatively easy to issue if they have tying factors to their home place.

luckily that was one of the first things I did was notify all embassies as well as immigration and the police.


Now on to hire a new helper!

You definetely have to inform the US Embassy if you don't want to loose more money in future. I understand that her vis was granted based on your sponsorship. When the visa expires you are responsible for her departure from US. At that time she may claim that she doesn't have money, and you'll be required to buy her a ticket to her home country. I am sure when you were filling a visa application form you signed some kind of guarantee letter.

You poor thing. YOu treat her so well, and trust her with your kids, and she does a hit and run on you.


What she did is theft and I would not let her get away with it.


file a criminal report

keep the email from her son

terminate her visa

send all criminal reports visa cancellations etc to HK Immigration, US immigration in Hong Kong, as well as the philippines, and to the US so she can't get entry.


I mean she took your car keys as well!!! What was she thinking?


Can you get an itemised phone list from the phone company of all the people she called.


This is probably not the first time she has done it.


YOu know. It only costs $1000 for you to fly down to the philippines!

:) My husband is making a trip down there for business. He's SO mad and wants to call the police on her from there...but I said lets just wash our hands of it and move on. It's really, really sh*tty! Luckily there is a woman I know who is leaving and has 2 great helpers that are still simple girls at this point so I'm going to immigration today to try to get them signed over! I'm really hurt by all of this...but oh well...it's meant to be.


Thanks for your reply.


BTW...I DO have an itemized phone list and MANY calls were made in the US!