Originally Posted by closedcasket:
You are absolutely right. You have highlighted two major problems. The minimum requirement to hire a helper (last I checked) was 15K a month!! Are you kidding me? No one making 15k a month should be able to import labor from another country. One can barely support themself at that wage let alone take on the responsibility of another. That is setting things up for abuse.
Helpers should be able to live outside the home like everyone else. This undoubtedly would go a long way towards reducing abuses.
Need to elimate the 2 week rule. Helpers should be treated no differently than anyone else in regards to their work visas. Many helpers don't report abuses because they only have 2 weeks and they will get deported out of the country. This rule seems very discrimatory and makes no sense.
There should be a seperate government agency charged specifically with monitoring the treatment and well being of the these vulnerable women. They should be pro-actively, randomly and anonymously checking in with these women. There needs to be a system in place where these women can feel "comfortable" reporting abuses without the fear of losing their job.
But sadly, I'm not sure the Hong Kong public has any interest in seeing this happen....
Its not their mother or sisters or daughters who work these jobs...so in typical HK fashion, most simply don't care