 |
| Migrant groups held a protest a day before the job-hopping charge was tabled at Legco |
A signature campaign against allegations of
job-hopping being leveled at foreign domestic workers who terminate their
contracts will be launched on Sunday, Mar 26, on Chater Road in Central
starting at 3pm.
The campaign comes in the wake of the tabling of a
proposal at the Legislative Council to mandate employment agencies to warn FDWs
against job-hopping, in the process legitimizing a claim that migrant workers purposely
terminate their contracts in search of higher pay or easier workload.
Agencies will also be obliged to speak with employers
about refunding recruitment fees, or replacing the worker who quit her job
before the two-year expiration of the contract.
Workers and agencies are both opposed to the proposal,
for varying reasons.
Foremost among the FDWs’ arguments is that there is no
such thing as job-hopping because a worker will only terminate the contract if
he or she is not treated well, and is pushed to the limit. This is because like
their employers, they also spent a substantial amount to secure their job in
Hong Kong.
They also argue that moving to another employer is
within their rights, and should thus not be considered illegal.
Employers agree to this, even pointing out that the
Basic Law allows all residents in Hong Kong the right to choose who to work
for.
The Labour proposal, which was submitted to the Legco
manpower panel for discussion on Mar 21, is set to undergo eight weeks of consultations
with various interest groups.
.jpg)
