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Letters | Helper fired after cancer diagnosis exposes Hong Kong’s cruel laws on residence and medical care
- The government should make special provisions for cases in which domestic helpers are awaiting the outcome of a complaint filed with the Labour Department
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I am writing in response to the article “Domestic worker in Hong Kong fired after employer found out she has cervical cancer”(March 3).
The report highlights the fact that some employers misunderstand the relationship between domestic helpers and themselves. These employers are under the false impression that a foreign domestic worker can be summarily dismissed without any reasonable reason. Moreover, employers seem unaware that helpers are entitled to paid sick leave and sickness allowance, and should not be dismissed if they are on paid sick leave.
Moreover, the current policy, requiring foreign domestic helpers to leave Hong Kong within two weeks of being terminated by an employer, is cruel. This policy means that they also lose their right to access to free medical care, which all residents of the city are entitled to, if they have filed a complaint with the Labour Department.
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The government should treat cases such as this one, in which the helper was dismissed after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and is waiting on the outcome of her case with the Labour Department, as special and provide the helper with financial and medical help.
Lee Ka-yu, Kwai Chung
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