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| Consultation meeting at HK Labour Dept on new minimum wage (File) |
From tomorrow, October 3, the minimum salary to be paid to foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong will be raised to HK$5,220 from the previous HK$5,100.
Under the Standard
Employment Contract, employers are obliged to give free food to their domestic
workers. If they decide to opt out of this arrangement, they should pay a food
allowance in lieu.
The optional food
allowance will remain frozen for the second consecutive year at HK$1,236.
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| DETAILS HERE |
The new wage level
will likely come as a disappointment to migrant workers’ support groups, as
they had clamoured for a minimum salary of more than HK$6,000 a month, citing
the high cost of inflation.
Employers, on the
other hand, had pushed for a wage freeze, also citing the considerable increase
in prices of food and basic commodities, and the sluggish economy. They warned
of mass termination should the government continued raising FDH salaries.
A statement issued
by the government said the new wage level is commensurate with Hong Kong’s economic
and labour conditions over the past year, near-term outlook, affordability of FDH
employers and basic living needs of FDHs.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
During the review process, the Government said it consulted
both employers and FDHs to understand their concerns and suggestions, and came
to the view that this year’s socio-economic indicators are more favorable than
those of last year.
FDH contracts signed today, Oct 2, or before, at the existing
minimum wage of HK$5,100 will still be processed by Immigration Department, provided
the applications reached them on or before October 30, Friday.
The new wage level
will likely come as a disappointed to both migrant organizations and employers’
support groups.
Migrant workers
have been clamouring for a minimum salary of more than HK$6,000 a month, citing
the high cost of inflation, while the employers’ groups had called for a
freeze, using the same reason and warned of mass terminations if salaries were
raised yet again.
