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| One of the workers spent her quarantine in Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui |
At least three Filipina domestic workers who
recently arrived in Hong Kong were not given any food by their employers while
under quarantine in various hostels in Hong Kong .
This was according to a group that took on the
task of feeding the three workers, who were reportedly too scared of losing
their jobs that they asked that the Consulate or the Hong Kong Labour
Department not be informed about their plight.
But according to Cynthia Tellez, general manager
of the Mission
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Philippine Labour Attache Mel Dizon also issued
a memorandum on Mar 17, reminding employment agencies to inform employers that:
(1) they should allow their domestic workers to spend their home quarantine
with them; or (2) if they choose to make them stay in another place, to provide
for all their expenses.
“It could be that the employers did not know about
their obligations, or were assured by their agencies that they need not provide
for food as well,” said Tellez. “In any case, they should complain because what
happened to them was not right.”
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| Tellez (left) with Carnay: All workers who are not treated right should complain |
Janette Carnay of the Asia-Pacific
Mission for Migrants who was among those who helped the workers, one had just come back from a vacation in the
Philippines
In these cases, no agency intervention would have been necessary.
In these cases, no agency intervention would have been necessary.
Carnay said the workers first sought help from the Filipino community group, Social Justice for Migrant Workers, whose founder, Marites Palma, relayed their request about their case not being reported to labor authorities, fearing that could lead to their termination.
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This was despite being advised by Palma's group that their employers
were legally bound to pay for all their quarantine expenses, and to make sure they remained healthy.
As the workers were forbidden by quarantine regulations from leaving their rooms, the group ended up feeding the
workers for the entire 14-day quarantine.
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| Palma's group fed the 3 workers who asked not to let authorities know about their plight |
The worker she assisted, said Carnay, stayed at
Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui. The worker was reportedly told by her
employers to pack a lot of instant noodles, not realizing that was all she
would have eaten if nobody came to help her.
All that the employer gave the worker was one
lunch box, said Carnay.
“Takot na takot sila na baka bigla silang
bitawan ng mga employer nila,” she said.
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(They were
so scared that their employers would let go them immediately <if they
complained>)
A cursory reading of relevant advisories would,
however, reveal that employers are strictly prohibited from terminating their
domestic helpers during the quarantine period. More so, if they get sick of
Covid-19.
The payment of salaries is another thing,
however, as the HK Labour Department merely advised employers “to be considerate
and show understanding” when a worker is quarantined, and does not contract any
disease during the 14-day period.
Fortunately, this case of no food being provided
to a quarantined domestic worker would appear to be the exception, rather than
the rule.
A check with members of the online group,
Domestic Workers Corner, showed that nearly all who had to undergo quarantine
on their return to Hong Kong were allowed by
their employers to return to their homes.
Most were paid their salaries during the quarantine
period, even those who spent the entire time inside their rooms. In these
cases, the employers themselves reportedly prepared the helpers’ meals.
With about 10,000 Filipino domestic workers set
to take up employment in Hong Kong in the next
few months, however, it remains to be seen whether such a pattern would
continue.
