Helper agency fees issues. help please

R

rs2000

Registered User
Hi All,

Just when I thought that all my issues with helpers etc are over, I have been brought into yet another controversary.
My current helper has been working with us for 6 months and despite some initial issues, she has settled in well now and the kids are also happy with her.

we started getting calls from a man 2 days back and he has our cell phone number as well as the landline number. basically my helper came from phillipines and she says she paid 40k peso in there and then around 3500 hk$ here to the agent in installments. She had signed a contract, that says she will pay another 5k hk$. She has a "brother" (which I htink is a distant relative or just someone she knows) in philipines embassy who told that anything > 1 month salary is illegal in HK. so she refused to pay.

Now after all these months, this man started calling us and asking for our helper. at odd times and sometimes from a number and sometimes using a "blocked" number.
Despite explaining that we have nothing to do with this, he would still call and would ask "fire you maid or ask her to pay the money etc etc"

I spoke to my agency and told them I am very upset etc that they gave my number to this collection agent. but they say this is from their counterparts in philipines who are doing this to get the money at any cost. she is also asking me to fire my maid.

Now my maid says she does not want to pay it as she did not know when she signed the contract that paying so much to the agent is illegal. I obviously dont and cant force her. she has already taken 5000 hk$ advance pay from me for her father's treatment etc. we like her work and really really dont want to change the helper.
I am stuck in the middle. what shall I do? will reporting to the police solve the issue? can I get the incoming calls blocked? but theu number does not display and a lot of my relatives call from overseas and their numbers also dont show up. Please offer some suggestions. I am very upset :(
 
rs2000 said:
Hi All,

Just when I thought that all my issues with helpers etc are over, I have been brought into yet another controversary.
My current helper has been working with us for 6 months and despite some initial issues, she has settled in well now and the kids are also happy with her.

we started getting calls from a man 2 days back and he has our cell phone number as well as the landline number. basically my helper came from phillipines and she says she paid 40k peso in there and then around 3500 hk$ here to the agent in installments. She had signed a contract, that says she will pay another 5k hk$. She has a "brother" (which I htink is a distant relative or just someone she knows) in philipines embassy who told that anything > 1 month salary is illegal in HK. so she refused to pay.

Now after all these months, this man started calling us and asking for our helper. at odd times and sometimes from a number and sometimes using a "blocked" number.
Despite explaining that we have nothing to do with this, he would still call and would ask "fire you maid or ask her to pay the money etc etc"

I spoke to my agency and told them I am very upset etc that they gave my number to this collection agent. but they say this is from their counterparts in philipines who are doing this to get the money at any cost. she is also asking me to fire my maid.

Now my maid says she does not want to pay it as she did not know when she signed the contract that paying so much to the agent is illegal. I obviously dont and cant force her. she has already taken 5000 hk$ advance pay from me for her father's treatment etc. we like her work and really really dont want to change the helper.
I am stuck in the middle. what shall I do? will reporting to the police solve the issue? can I get the incoming calls blocked? but theu number does not display and a lot of my relatives call from overseas and their numbers also dont show up. Please offer some suggestions. I am very upset :(
Click to expand...

1) a principled stand is a good thing. the law is very clear on this.

2) 40k peso is cheap by PH standards. Most pay 100k+.

3) not paying might put her family in the PH into trouble. i think you should have a chat with her to see whether she really really wants to go down that path

4) if you decide to pay, i would support her with loans, etc from your side to help her manage it. we did this with our helper, very transparent, etc. it resulted in us getting a very good employee who is very committed and supportive of our family. we also offered her a long-term (10 years) retirement plan with some bonuses, etc to give her an incentive to stick around - but of course you could lose that money if she runs away...

5) if she does not want to pay, you have to suck it up getting the calls or change your mobile.

6) lastly, the debt collectors might visit your place if they cant call you. or they might attack the maid physically. this is PH law and practices that will be applied by these debt collectors ...
 
She says she can't pay as its against the law
In all this scenario, I am the one being harassed and will be troubled if she leaves due to all this scenario
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In this case, she is in the right and has the law on her side. And if you like her as an employee, then it may want to support her. Although they might be persistent, what if you said: "I have informed the police and they're tracking your call" or "yes, I've fired her."

In case they try to visit your place, I think you can actually call the police on them.
 
yes and she is also not much worried about all this
she is taking is lightly. its only us who are beinbg bothered and harassed.
she mentioned a few days back and its not very difficult to find other employer in HK too
so in the end, i feel i am the one being harmed here only..... :(
 
Hi All,

How does it work with the agency fees? if a helper comes here from philipines and needs to pay 3-4 months of salary to the agent for this.

If she leaves the job in 6 months and then find the new one herself? would she still be required to pay the 3-4 months money that she had signed for ?
I am trying to understand the shit I am in......
the helper owes them 5K and is refusing (i am fine with it really). the company harassing me over phone.
The helper borrowed 5k from me for her father who is ill...
If she leaves me and finds something else in HK herself, will she be required to pay the agency fees etc?
pls help
 
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