First time helper employer, need help.

L

lingpeanut

Registered User
I have found some very useful information from this site , and thanks alot.
Here are my new ????

1. How much do you pay your helper, could I just pay the minimum amount which is about 3400 ? Or should I pay higher, and why ?

2. How many days of paid annual leave per year? and for sick leave, should I ask helper for a doctor's approve, or just let her take a day off whenever she want?

3. My friend's told me that no public holidays in the first 3 months of contract, is that true? And where I can find more information about this?

Thank you for your kind help.
 
Hi

1. Legally there is no need to pay your helper more than the minimum wage...the rest is upto you. You also need to pay the levy of 400 per month to the Governm.. either quaterly or annually.

2. 7 days paid annual leave on completion of evey year of the contract...she's entilled to 2 sick leave days per month.....I think...I usaually pay for the doctor so I do get a sick leave that she gives me...

3.True...first 3 months no public holidays....but my helper joined me in DEc and I though it was not right to NOT give her a day off for X mas....


All the info is at http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_5.5.htm
 
1. As a minimum, you should pay what is in her contract. If you want to pay more, that is up to you. We pay more than the minimum, just our choice. I think our helper is worth it.

2. Not sure, I think 7 days annual leave per year. We send our helper home whenever we have holidays, so twice a year for 3 weeks each. We figure there is no point her staying in HK if we aren't here and tickets to the Philippines are quite cheap. I think our helper appreciates seeing her family. We've also paid to have her husband and daughter fly to HK and stay in our flat whilst we're overseas. Other than the statutory requirements, it's up to you.
Sick leave - you're paying for those drs appointments, so up to you. Personally, if my helper is sick, I wouldn't want her looking after my daughter or cleaning and I would certainly take her word for it. Also, if she asked, of course I would pay for her to see a doctor. In the 4 years we've had our helper, I think she has only wanted to see the dr once. If she has a cold, I'll buy her some cold medicine, etc. If she wants the day off when I'm working, I'll take the day off to look after my daughter. Actually this has not happened yet (I only work part time) to no real problems here.

3. I think your friend is wrong about the public holidays !
Look in the Labour Dept website.

Overall, I try and think how I would feel or how I would want my employer to treat me if I was a helper. So far we've been rewarded with a hard working, honest, caring helper.

Hope that helps !
 
public hols

Think public holidays in HK are divided into general & statutory holidays. DHs get all statutory holidays off (I was told by a friend that it includes those which falls within the first 3 mths period) and general holidays are discretionary for the employers. Think it's just general practice in HK not to allow DHs public holidays in the first 3 mths - not sure of the legality of this though.

hope this helps
 
my helper started on 1 feb this year. chinese new year was 9,10,11 feb. we gave them to her off. we giver her every public holiday off, not just the stats.
we pay her minimum wage but give her bonuses. if there is a succession of holidays, such as CNY or easter, i've paid for her to go stay with her friend at a boarding house(she wanted to go, i didn't send her).
 
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