Urgent: in a diemma. please share your suggestion

[anotherone]

Glad you found out before it is too late. I have been jerked around in a similar way quite a few times (yes more than once, shameful I know).

Let us know how you get on with the new helper - I'm also waiting for mine to arrive!

Hi All,

just an update: I have signed someone from philippines and now have to wait for her to come here.
the girl i found in here in HK (the one without an employer reference), made up new stories and I have decided not to cosider her anymore.
despite the myterious background, i did belive her and wanted to give her a chance. this is what she did.
I called her on thursday to speak and told her I am fine signing the contract. She told me her last visa is on Monday (18th april) however her profile said its on 2nd May.
Then she told me she would goto immigration on friday morning to check what documents she needed and to check her visa status. she was no update on friday.
then on monday, i asked her to come so that we can sign the contract. she said she would first goto immigration (again) to find out the list of documents neededv and will then come to sign the contract. she came at 3pm and told me that the immigration will close at 4 pm and she needed some more documents (my address proof etc).
then on tuesday morning i handed the documents to her and signed the contract. she went to immigration and called me that the officer told her that her visa has run out (although she had told me on friday that she got it extended till may2 ). now yesterdya till 5 pm she was supposedly at immigration and was extending her visa.
i was so frustrated with all this, i called her to return all my documents and then signed up someone from philipines

 

[Portia]

rs2000 - Do you know if she submitted your signed documents? If yes or if unsure, you should inform Immigration that you will no longer sponsor her visa.

 

[elle]

yeah starbucks2 is right - my mother did exactly that and the experience was SO bad that the helper did not even complete her probation period...shouldn't say this but I believe there is ALWAYS a hidden problem if you can't speak with the previous employer

you're right, you shouldn't say this and such a categorization is shallow, narrow and just is not true. we have hired two helpers (who are both still with us and who watch our child at times) without speaking to their previous employers (one employer didn't speak English so a reason was given and the other, well, we were told that they had left HK. both times we interviewed them and they presented themselves well, were well spoken and no red flags. although it seems that having references is the norm in HK, i know plenty of other people who have hired helpers without references based on in person interviews. it all comes down to the person and how you feel about them, as it would with any employeer/ employee situation. in the OP's situation it seems like there were red flags in addition to the helper not being able to provide a reference.

 

[mummymoo]

Elle, point is you were able to contact the previous employer but logistically you couldn't because you don't speak the language, that is very different to not being able to contact the previous employer at all.

My two cents is this, certainly a glowing reference doesn't guarantee you that your helper will be a great fit with your family but it does carry some benefits, in that the helper has performed well enough to warrant an employer happy enough to speak up on their behalf, also generally the helper has not been caught out stealing, or exhibiting other untoward behaviour.

For helpers without a reference, a recommendation, then sure they may be a portion in the pool who are decent but unfortunately they'll be mixed in with the really bad eggs, neglectful, thieving, lying ones, and unless you are a supreme judge of character....I'd just as soon pick from the first pool.

Each to their own.

 

[rs2000]

thanks all.

i am told she will come in mid june and this will be after my delivery. now just praying that the PT i have got keep coming until end. a little nervous on how we would handle all the hospital stuff alongwith my older daughter's schooling etc.
My husband might not be able to take more than 1-2 days off (depends on the date actually).
has anybody experienced similar situation? how did you handle the older kid (without family or friends support) during the delivery and stay in hospital? I am a little anxious about this