HONG KONG GOVT ANNOUNCED NEW WAGES FOR HOUSEHOLD SERVICE WORKERS WHICH WILL BE HK$ 4010 PER MONTH WITH SEPARATE FOOD ALLOWANCE TO HK$ 920 PER MONTH BUT WILL BE APPLICABLE TO THOSE CONTRACTS SIGNED AFTER 1ST OCTOBER 2013 2ND OCTOBER 2013 MANILA – Household service workers in Hong Kong will get an additional HK$90 in their salary after the Hong Kong government raised the minimum allowable wage (MAW) for foreign domestic workers to HK$4,010 per month. The Hong Kong government also increased by HK$45 the food allowance of foreign domestic workers to HK$920 from the previous HK$875. The move was implemented to protect foreign domestic workers from exploitation. "The $90 increase in minimum allowable wage and the increase in food allowance is, indeed, a very good news for household service workers who intend to work in Hong Kong," said Labor and Employment Acting Secretary Danilo Cruz. The increase in MAW and food allowance will apply to contracts signed effective 01 October 2013, and thereafter. However, labor attaché to Hong Kong Manuel Roldan said new contracts signed by employers and foreign domestic helpers until September 30, 2013 bearing the previous minimum allowable wages of HK$ 3,920 per month, and food allowance of HK$ 875 may still be accepted and processed by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong, provided that the application will be submitted to the said office on October 28, 2013. "The Hong Kong government reviews the minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic helpers. After careful consideration of the general economic and employment situation in Hong Kong, as reflected through a basket of economic indicators, including relevant economic movement; price change; and labor market situation, as well as the affordability of employers, the Hong Kong saw there was a need to strike a balance between affordability of employers and the livelihoods of foreign domestic helpers, and decided to increase the minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic workers," Roldan said. While it may be good news to some, others, like the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB), thinks otherwise. AMCB said the increase in the MAW and food allowance was much lower that what they had asked from the government. The group wanted a MAW of HK$4,500 and food allowance of HK$1,600.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 02:33:44 +0000
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