[Jamie_Koh]

Originally Posted by kirlex

As for the salary, the minimum wage in Hong Kong is HK$ 3,860. Some members of the government want to lower this by 20%!

Is there more details on this?

[Katanga]

you are being fleeced. Get a new maid.

[rani]

Vegemite,

We had the same problem with our previous helper. Once you're generous they'll try their luck and push to get more. Our previous helper asked us for a small loan, which I gave her. She paid us back gradually. The 2nd time she asked for a slightly larger sum, which I also lent her. The last time she asked me for HK$25K. Didn't give it to her but it was close to the end her contract. Didn't feel I could trust her and decided not to renew her contract. If I were you just say NO now! If she's going to hold a grudge and it affects her performance then terminate her.

[carang]

minimum is $3330(plus the $400/month levy)...
we are not rolling in dough either, treat our helper with great respect and fully appreciate the job that she does for us.

we pay the minimum... however, if i ever ask her to do anything out of the ordinary (ie.. have peopel over for dinner and she cooks for us) i always tack on a little extra onto her paycheck. i never tell her what i'm going to add on, i just do it...

for her birthday last year we gave her $500 and the day off... she had only been with us for about 2 weeks...

this year for christmas, we bought her a DVD player, some bits and bobs from body shop and will give her $500 again... then we'll give her lai see for CNY....

what i'm trying to say is, if you treat them well and with respect, you should get the same in return, if not, then sever your business connection, the same as you would with any other employee.

[VegemiteKid]

Thanks so much for all your advice. It is so hard to know what the 'standard' is when you've only been here for a short time. We really try to look after our helper - but I am starting to feel she is trying to take advantage of our 'good nature'. Asking for extra holidays, airline tickets and all sorts of things. I guess it's time to start saying no sometimes and see how the relationship goes.

[HKfornow]

I have overheard from different Helpers that they prefer to work with Caucasians/expats because they are easier to work for (ie: give them more pay, don't have much work, give them lots of amenities, their own TV, Aircondition etc.). I believe this rumor mill has made it so that some helpers expect you to be extra generous to them. I've had my helper report to me some of what others are saying on their days off and it's not pretty.

I think you should trust your instinct, if you feel that she is taking advantage of you, get rid of her, because after all would you really trust someone to be in your home who is disgrunted at you once you start "denying" her perks she thinks should come with the job?

[KnowItAll]

>> I believe this rumor mill has made it so that some helpers expect you to be extra generous to them.

Absolutely true.

Having said that, do you blame them? Look at the jobs threads on here and you'll see everyone wants to work for an "expat company" and not on local hours .. blah blah ...

[PettsWood]

Originally Posted by rani

Vegemite,

We had the same problem with our previous helper. Once you're generous they'll try their luck and push to get more. Our previous helper asked us for a small loan, which I gave her. She paid us back gradually. The 2nd time she asked for a slightly larger sum, which I also lent her. The last time she asked me for HK$25K. Didn't give it to her but it was close to the end her contract. Didn't feel I could trust her and decided not to renew her contract. If I were you just say NO now! If she's going to hold a grudge and it affects her performance then terminate her.

My LAST helper did exactly the same to us. First a loan to buy a piece of land for her mum. Second one of her cousin was wounded in intensive care and needed money to pay the bill....

We found out later that she did not buy the land but it didn't occur to that she needed to tell us...

Vegemite Kid - What do you mean by letting her out a couple of NIGHTS a week. Why would any domestic helper want to go out at nights while not very many (or none) of her domestic helper friends would get night off? I would be very careful where she goes and what kind of friends she makes...

[bbc_guy]

Of the Chinese friends that have domestic helpers, most pay only minimum wage, and their living conditions are on average not as nice as expats, who in general, live in bigger apartments. So I'd say that the rumour mill between domestic helpers' community that expats are more of a pushover are certainly true. There's a kind of feeling that they and expats, on one level are in the same boat in that they are both foreigners in a foreign land. As far as I know, there's very little nonsense and demands with my friends' helpers.

While I wouldn't say you are being fleeced, since at the end of the day, it's whatever you're willing to pay them, minimum wage or slightly higher plus a few extras, along with treating them nicely is certainly reasonable. After all, to them, it is a good wage converted back to their own currency. That's why they're in HK in the first place.

[discobay]

... and what kinds of diseases she might bring home (to your children).