'How Can I Help?' - Your Duties as a Helper in Hong Kong

Whether you’re considering becoming a Foreign Domestic Helper or have been working as a Helper for years, it’s important to be aware of what the job requires - and what it cannot require.

Here, our focus is the Helper's job in Hong Kong.

HK Helper gently cares for Employer's flatscreen TV.

The HK government outlines a Helper's work within the document called the 'Standard Employment Contract' (the Contract) 'for a Domestic Helper recruited from abroad'. 

Following are screenshots of the Contract's first two pages (taken January 2019).

[Please note that 'specimen screenshots' are for reference only; they should not be used for submission of application. Please be sure to get a current Contract for actual submissions.]

Specimen screenshots of HK's Standard Employment Contract for a Domestic Helper Recruited from Abroad (taken January 2019).

A Foreign Domestic Helper is admitted into Hong Kong to work full-time doing 'domestic duties' as a live-in employee of a specific employer at their residence.

In fact, a Helper should not be required or even allowed to do non-domestic duties. Non-domestic duties include things like running a cash register at the Employer’s business or performing other tasks that require specialised, non-domestic training or skills (house painting, construction, electronics/car repair, and so forth).

Also, Helpers are not allowed to do work beyond their official Helper assignment. Specifically, Helpers are prohibited from performing part-time work, in domestic service or in any other area of employment.

HK regulations require that a Helper is to work only for the specific Employer - not for friends, neighbors or anyone else - and is to work only at the residence of the Employer.

These regulations are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT parts of the Helper contract.

Following the 'who, what, where rules' (working only for the Employer, only in domestic duties, and only at the residence of the Employer) will help keep the Helper and others free from being liable to criminal prosecution.

Also, keeping these rules is 'part of the conditions of stay to be imposed on the FDH by the Immigration Department upon the FDH' s admission to work in Hong Kong.' That means these are rules that you must follow to remain in Hong Kong and to keep your job.

Helper employment contracts describe a Helper's specific domestic duties on pages three and four, the 'Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties'. Here are screenshots of these pages from January 2019, followed by summaries of the most common tasks for Helpers.

[Please note that 'specimen screenshots' are for reference only; they should not be used for submission of application. Please be sure to get a current Contract for actual submissions.]

Specimen screenshots of HK Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties (taken January 2019).

A uniformed Helper in Hong Kong puts clean linens on the Employer's bed.

General Household Tasks - doing the laundry, changing bed linens, washing dishes, dusting furniture and other surfaces, cleaning floors, tidying living areas, keeping bathrooms clean, and other similar household work.

Caring for Children and Other Family Members - including those who are older and/or special needs.

A Helper in Hong Kong spoon-feeds her Employer family's youngest child.

Meal Preparation - including cooking, baking, etc. Meal preparation can be a way for you to shine as you show your Employer skills in making their favorite kinds of foods and in paying attention to special dietary needs of family members.

Other - some families may want their Helper to care for pets and plants, handle sewing repairs, and help children with their activities and studies. Be sure to see what skills and talents you have in such 'other domestic duties'; your Employer can come to count on you to meet those needs!

From a List of Duties to 'Well Done, Helper!'

HelperFirst wants to remind you that a job well done starts with a good Employer/Helper match. With the HF web site, you can identify Employers and jobs that could make a good fit for you and your skills. HelperFirst helps you know from the start the main requests of specific Employers. That way, you can match up your abilities with the right Employer.

And when you meet a potential Employer, consider carefully if the Employer seems to be a person who believes in following the rules. The Contract's rules are there to help protect everyone - the household, the Employer, and you, the Helper. Agreement on following rules is a good basis for you and your Employer to start working together. 

An Employer and Helper in Hong Kong are pleased to see their performance measures on HelperFirst.

The HelperFirst team aims to help you achieve a good working relationship with your Employer throughout your time together. We are also offering ways for you to have a greater influence on your work - and on your results!  

On the HF web site, Helpers are now able to provide feedback on Employers. With that, Employers will have extra motivation to create and keep positive reputations and good working relationships with their Helpers.

Likewise, Employers are invited to provide performance feedback on Helpers. (But don't worry, we make earning good ratings FUN for you!)

Employer-feedback and Helper-feedback opportunities are just two ways HelperFirst is working to create good experiences for you as a Helper, and for your Employer. We also help you increase your skills so you can earn stronger feedback and can qualify for a greater number of jobs and higher pay. 

We will continue to bring new information to you that will help you do your job, work well with your Employer, improve your skills, earn better income,  make the most of your work breaks, and enjoy your time in Hong Kong.

Please come back to discover more from the team that puts the HelperFirst.  And be sure to participate in your HelperFirst community on Facebook!