As the Hong Kong media remains firmly focussed on the Occupy Central protests, now is no doubt an excellent time for the government to release bad news.
One such example that has gone by largely unnoticed is yesterday’s announcement of the Labour Department’s refusal to grant the city’s 300,000 or so foreign domestic helpers the tiny HKD400 monthly salary increase they asked for. They’re going to get HKD100 extra instead.
The Minimum Allowable Wage for foreign domestic helpers has therefore gone up from HKD4,010 to HKD4,110 a month, an increase of 2.5 percent. That percentage doesn’t sound half bad actually, but that’s not exactly hard when you’re dealing with such small numbers in the first place.
Employers are also required to provide foreign domestic workers with free food or a food allowance in lieu. This allowance has also been increased by… wait for it… HKD44 a month from no less than HKD920 to no less than HKD964. Whoop-de-doo. No more McDonald’s for you!
Last month we reported how members of the Asia Migrants’ Coordinating Body had appealed to Hong Kong’s Labour Department to increase the minimum monthly salary to HKD4,500. No such luck.
“After reviewing the relevant data, taking into account Hong Kong’s near-term economic outlook, and striking a balance between the affordability of employers and the livelihood of foreign Domestic helpers, the Government has decided to make the above mentioned adjustment,” a spokesman said.
However, the government did stress that the new guidelines – which will not affect existing contracts or those signed yesterday or before and submitted to the Immigration Department before Oct. 28 – are only the minimum standard.
So you can pay your domestic helper more if you like. Just an idea.
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