Happy Valentine's Day 2023 and we think this should be a public holiday

In Hong Kong, Valentine's Day is a time to show appreciation for those who make a positive difference in your life. This is especially true for domestic helpers in Hong Kong, who often take on the role of a friend, confidante, and caretaker for those they serve. To show your appreciation, here are some thoughtful ways to celebrate your helper this Valentine's Day.

These are just a few ways to show appreciation for your domestic helper this Valentine's Day. You can make your helper feel appreciated and valued with some thought and effort. -Send your helper flowers and a card.

-Give them some time off on Valentine's Day to talk with their family or significant other.

Here are some suggestions for making Valentine's Day special for your Domestic Helper - we hope you enjoy these, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Give her the Day off. Providing a day off to your helper is a great way to show appreciation. This could be a day out to the beach, a shopping trip, or a movie and dinner.
Send a care package. Fill your helper's care package with some of their favourite treats. This could include snacks, books, music, and other items to show appreciation.
Give a gift to their family. If your helper has family back home, sending a gift to them is a beautiful way to show appreciation.
Send a heartfelt card. Writing a card expressing your gratitude for your helper's work is a small gesture that can make a big difference.
Give a bonus. Show your appreciation for your helper's hard work with a bonus. This could be in cash, a gift voucher, or a memorable experience.
Take them out for dinner. Take your helper out for a special dinner to say thank you.
Provide a spa day. Treat your helper to a day of relaxation with a spa day.
Have lunch or breakfast with them. This is especially important if they stay on the premises during their breaks.

In Hong Kong, Domestic helpers are entitled to 13 days of statutory holidays yearly, including special occasions like Chinese New Year, Easter, and Christmas. Unfortunately, Valentine's Day is not one of these statutory holidays. This means that domestic helpers in Hong Kong are not legally entitled to take the Day off to celebrate Valentine's Day.

However, employers may give their helpers the Day off on Valentine's Day or any other day. It is essential to check with your employer and confirm in advance if they will be providing time off on Valentine's Day.

Domestic helpers in Hong Kong should also be aware that they are legally entitled to other types of leave, such as annual and sick leave. For more information on statutory holidays and other types of leave in Hong Kong, please refer to the official website of the Labour Department of the Hong Kong Government[1].

As a community, we can unite to make Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers in Hong Kong. It's time to show our support and appreciation for the hard work and dedication of domestic helpers in our city. Let's make Valentine's Day a day for everyone to celebrate!

To make this happen, we need to contact the Labour Department of the Hong Kong Government. To suggest making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers in Hong Kong, please visit the official website of the Labour Department[2] and email your suggestion.

Let's make Valentine's Day a day for all domestic helpers in Hong Kong to enjoy and show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication!

We think Valentine's Day should be a new Statutory holiday for domestic helpers, and that's what we propose!

So let's make it one! Here's how...

Context - what is a statutory holiday, anyway?

The term "statutory holiday" refers to a day off work legally required by law.

Hong Kong has 16 statutory holidays for all employees under the Employment Ordinance (EO). These include New Year's Day, Labour Day and Christmas Day. However, there are no statutory holidays for domestic helpers working in Hong Kong for less than one year. This means that if you hire a new domestic helper this Valentine's Day. She wants to take her first Day off on February 14th - which happens to be her birthday - then you must pay her full salary even though she didn't work at all! That's unfair!

It's time we made Valentine's Day an official holiday so everyone can enjoy this special occasion with their loved ones without worrying about getting paid!

The Amazing Value of Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong

Domestic help is an invaluable resource for families in Hong Kong, providing assistance with childcare, elderly care, and cleaning. They are a critical part of everyday life, making it easier for families to manage their responsibilities. We should be thankful for the hard work and dedication of domestic helpers, who are the backbone of many Hong Kong households. Despite their hard work, however, domestic helpers lack legal protection, recognition, access to healthcare and other benefits. They are often subjected to low wages and long working hours.

Domestic helpers contribute to the economy by providing services that enable working parents to continue earning an income while caring for their families at home. In addition to helping with childcare, they often provide other valuable services such as driving children to school or taking them on outings during school holidays.

Domestic workers provide opportunities for women who have left their jobs due to pregnancy or childbirth to return to employment after giving birth. They also offer companionship to older adults, which helps to reduce loneliness among this age group.

Some of the many Challenges Faced by Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, domestic helpers are often subjected to low wages and long working hours. They also lack legal protection, recognition, healthcare access, and other benefits.

Hong Kong has around 300,000 foreign domestic workers (FDWs), mainly from Indonesia and the Philippines. In recent years, we noticed an increase in the number of FDWs who come from Nepal because they have fewer working visa restrictions than other countries.

The Need for a Statutory Domestic Helper Holiday

As a society, we're becoming increasingly mindful of the need to respect and honour the contributions of domestic helpers. And yet, despite all their hard work, domestic helpers continue to be undervalued in our society.

The holidays celebrating Valentine's Day or Mother's Day are not statutory holidays for domestic helpers. This means that even though most people would like to spend time with their loved ones on these days, they must still go to work if they want to earn an income. This puts them at a disadvantage compared with other professionals who have dedicated time off from work on these special occasions. It also prevents many families from celebrating together because some members may have no choice but to work. In contrast, others do not have this option available due to financial constraints or other reasons such as illness or childcare issues (for example).

Making Valentine's Day a Statutory Domestic Helper Holiday

You can make Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers by following these steps:

Please write to your Member of Parliament (MP) and ask them to introduce legislation making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday. You can find out who your local MP is here.
If you are an employer, write an email expressing why it would be beneficial for Valentine's Day to be made into a public holiday in Hong Kong. Include any stories about how domestic workers have helped you or your family members over the years!

The Role of the Labour Department

The role of the Labour Department in making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers

The Labour Department is responsible for deciding whether or not to make Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers. If you are interested in having this Day declared as such, don't hesitate to get in touch with them directly at [email protected]

After contacting them, they will look into your request and let you know if they can grant it.

The Benefits of Making Valentine's Day a Statutory Domestic Helper Holiday

Making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday would benefit domestic helpers and society in the following ways:

It would give them time to spend with their family and loved ones.
It will help reduce stress, which is essential to maintaining good health.
It would allow them to rest and recuperate after working hard all year round.
Making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday will also benefit businesses. They can expect higher sales during this period because people will be more likely to buy gifts for their loved ones on this Day than on any other day of the year.

Conclusion - everybody spread love

The importance of making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday for domestic helpers
The need for continued support and appreciation
How to contact the Labour Department

We hope this article has provided valuable insight into the need for a statutory holiday for domestic helpers in Hong Kong and how we can help make it a reality.

Domestic workers play an important role in society, providing essential services to families and individuals in need. In Hong Kong, domestic workers enable more women to return to employment after giving birth while also providing companionship to older adults, reducing loneliness among this age group. However, these workers face significant challenges, from low wages to a lack of rights and protections.

Let's make Valentine's Day a statutory holiday. This will increase the support offered by the Labour Department and to better educate the public about the essential role domestic workers play in our society. By doing so, we can ensure that domestic workers are given the rights and protections they deserve. We thank you for taking the time to read this article. We wish you and your domestic helper (and her family) a delighted Valentine's Day in 2023, when we can all celebrate together. If we all work together, we can make this a reality and give domestic helpers the recognition they deserve.

Happy Valentine's Day 2023 and we think this should be a public holiday - do you agree?