{"id":12210,"date":"2021-03-31T04:07:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T20:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper\/covid-19-employment\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T02:56:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T18:56:03","slug":"covid-19-employment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 &amp; Domestic Worker Rights: A Historic Guide to Ethical Hiring"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>HelperChoice and Enrich HK organised Facebook live to answer the rights of employees about the covid-19 pandemic.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/#Quarantine_Welfare\" >Quarantine Welfare\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/#If_the_employee_contact_coronavirus\" >If the employee contact coronavirus<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/#Visa_extension\" >Visa extension\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/#Contract\" >Contract\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/covid-19-employment\/#Rights_related_to_covid-19_pandemic\" >Rights related to covid-19 pandemic<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Here are some common questions asked during Facebook live. You are also welcome to watch the <a href=\"https:\/\/fb.watch\/4tenkUK4kH\/.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook live<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quarantine_Welfare\"><\/span><strong>Quarantine Welfare\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: What does the employer need to pay for the domestic helper during quarantine?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: Legally, employers have to sign for the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.immd.gov.hk\/eng\/press\/press-releases\/20200721.html\"> undertaking<\/a> , which needs to pay for the coronavirus tests, accommodation, and food allowance during the quarantine.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, employers are encouraged to provide more support for employees.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Do employers need to pay salary for helpers during quarantine?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: There is still a blurred line under the Standard Employment Contract (SEC). We advise employers and domestic helpers to discuss and make a mutual agreement on paid or unpaid leave.<\/p>\n<p>See also:\u00a0 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper\/types-of-contract\">Types of Domestic Helper Contract<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"If_the_employee_contact_coronavirus\"><\/span><strong>If the employee contact coronavirus<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: What should employers do if their employee contacts coronavirus?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: Employees should pay for sick leave for employees to receive medical treatment. The employer should pay \u2158 of the actual salary to the employee. Plus, the employer cannot determine the contract of the employee due to infection.<\/p>\n<p>See also: <em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper\/medical-expenses\">Domestic Helpers&#8217; Medical Expenses in Hong Kong<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: For an employee with a positive testing result, will he\/she get a salary?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: For employees with insufficient accumulated sick leave, no written statement stated that employers have to pay for the sick leave. We strongly suggest employers pay for the sickness allowance, reducing the burden of employees during the covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visa_extension\"><\/span><strong>Visa extension\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: For domestic helpers who could not go back to their home country, what can they do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: Employers have a responsibility to pay for the air ticket to send their employees to his\/her country. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, employees can defer their time of leaving Hong Kong by one year by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.immd.gov.hk\/eng\/services\/visas\/extension_of_stay.html#visitors&amp;secondTab\">applying to the Immigration Department.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: If domestic helpers got determined, can they still apply for the visa extension?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: In order to prevent abuse of flexible arrangements (job-hopping), the government announced that foreign domestic helpers who terminate their employment contracts early are not allowed to apply for an extension of their stay in Hong Kong as visitors.<\/p>\n<p>The special situation can apply as finished contracts, which included<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Relocation of employers<\/li>\n<li>Financial difficulties<\/li>\n<li>The person that needs to care for died<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For people with terminated or broken contracts cannot extend visas:<\/p>\n<p>It is case by case. If there is proof proven the employee can&#8217;t return to their countries due to the covid-19 pandemic or other special reasons, they usually can receive the extension.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What documents needed for visa extension?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: For a finished contract, employees can extend their visas for one year.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ID91: Application form for extension of stay (available online)<\/li>\n<li>Copy of passport, visa, Hong Kong ID card<\/li>\n<li>Previous employment contract<\/li>\n<li>Release letter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For those determined or broken contract, the letter that state the reason for termination is important for relocation<\/p>\n<p>For the new employer<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Financial proof of employer<\/li>\n<li>Undertaking of Employer<\/li>\n<li>Passport of employee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Contract\"><\/span><strong>Contract\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: If employers want to break the contract and move to another family, is that hard?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: It is difficult to do so under the covid-19 pandemic. We suggest employees finish the current contract first.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rights_related_to_covid-19_pandemic\"><\/span><strong>Rights related to covid-19 pandemic<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: Can employers make employees stay at home during weekly holidays?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: No, as long as the employees agree to stay home voluntarily. Besides, even if an employee stays at home, employers must provide 24 hours full-day rest day for employees. For remarks, employers cannot pay for an employee to work during his\/her rest day.<\/p>\n<p>See also: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper\/rest-day\">Domestic Helper Rest Days<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Should employers need to pay for the procuring masks and protective items?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: No written statement states the fees must be paid by the employer.<\/p>\n<p>However, we strongly advise employers to buy protective items for employees to protect each other.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Can employers require employees to take the covid vaccine?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: No, employers can&#8217;t force employees to receive covid vaccines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Do employees need to pay for their medical test fees?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: Employees should check the included item on their insurance.<\/p>\n<p>See also :<em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper\/insurance\">Domestic Helper Insurance<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HelperChoice and Enrich HK organised Facebook live to answer the rights of employees about the covid-19 pandemic. Here are some common questions asked during Facebook live. You are also welcome to watch the Facebook live Quarantine Welfare\u00a0 Q: What does the employer need to pay for the domestic helper during quarantine?\u00a0 A: Legally, employers have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":12211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"description":"Review the landmark guidelines for domestic helper employment during COVID-19 through this FB live summary from HelperChoice and EnrichHK","title":"COVID-19 &amp; Domestic Worker Rights: A Historic Guide to Ethical Hiring - HelperChoice Blog"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hiring-preparation"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/6f0a45d8-7f21-45e5-8641-72840dd19bef-facebooklivehelperchoice.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12210"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15328,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12210\/revisions\/15328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}