Hong Kong foreign domestic workers 'abandoned' in virus crisis

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.mizzima.com/article/hong-kong-foreign-domestic-workers-abandoned-virus-crisis

By AFP
20 February 2022
Hong Kong foreign domestic workers 'abandoned' in virus crisis

Hong Kong's foreign domestic workers are being "abandoned" in the current coronavirus wave sweeping the city, with some forced to sleep rough or being denied treatment after testing positive, charities warned Friday.

The Chinese financial hub is currently in the throes of its worst-ever coronavirus outbreak, registering thousands of confirmed cases a day as hospitals reach breaking point.

Hong Kongers live in one of the world's most densely packed cities and rely on some 370,000 foreign domestic workers, the vast majority women from the Philippines and Indonesia who cook, clean, and look after their families.

Foreign domestic workers must live with their employers, cannot swap jobs easily, and are only entitled to one day off a week.

On Friday a coalition of groups representing migrant workers said the already grim pandemic conditions have plunged further in the current outbreak.

Some workers had been sacked by employers after testing positive, forcing them to sleep outdoors. Others found themselves denied treatment at hospitals because they had lost their jobs...

 

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[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...-19-agony-ill-woman-found?utm_source=rss_feed

Hong Kong helper’s Covid-19 agony: ill woman found ‘self-isolating’ overnight in employer’s parked car taken to shelter
Newly arrived Filipino helper found in car was hesitant to accept help, fearing boss would cancel contract
Employers warned not to sack domestic workers who fall ill, but there are no clear guidelines on isolation or treatment

Kathleen Magramo
Published: 8:00am, 27 Feb, 2022
Updated: 8:00am, 27 Feb, 2022

Volunteers from an NGO helping foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong were shocked to find a 28-year-old Filipina woman alone, cold and ill with Covid-19 in a parked car.

Josie* had been self-isolating in her employer’s car for 30 hours when she was found on Monday evening.

It took volunteers from HELP for Domestic Workers a day to persuade her to move to a shelter, as she was afraid her employer would terminate her contract.

“A domestic worker is required to have suitable and safe accommodation and definitely, a car does not fall into that category, particularly when she was sick,” said the NGO’s executive director, Manisha Wijesinghe. “It was neither suitable nor safe.”

Hong Kong employers have been warned that they face legal consequences if they cancel the contract of helpers who test positive for Covid-19, but the government has not said how to help sick domestic workers to isolate at home or receive treatment in hospital.

Efforts to provide shelter, food and medicine to infected helpers have been left largely to a coalition of 14 migrant worker NGOs...