Labor chief calls on domestic helpers to stay home over mass gathering ultimatum

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong called on foreign domestic helpers to stay home during holidays after authorities warned that mass gathering will be targeted by stringent law enforcement. 

In a press conference on Friday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor stressed that authorities will enforce group gathering cap of two people without mercy starting Sunday and offenders will be each fined HK$5,000. 

Law spoke on a radio program on Saturday and pointed out that police issued fixed penalty tickets to 17 domestic helpers last week for breaching the two-people group gathering cap. He continued that starting Sunday, police will enforce the law directly without giving any verbal warnings beforehand. 

The labor chief also noted that citizens have been calling on fundraising to pay the fines for the helpers. Yet, he underlined that such act may be illegal as it stops the government from fighting the pandemic properly. 

Law added authorities are now seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice on the matter. 

On another note, Law said the laws allow employers to replace helpers' holiday with a day's pay as he encouraged helpers to stay home and rest on holidays instead of going outside. 

He also mentioned that the number of foreign domestic helpers went down by some 70,000 since Hong Kong was hit by Covid-19 and flights ban was occasionally triggered due the serious pandemic development in the Philippines and Indonesia. 

Law said he understands that the shortage of helpers poses challenges to local families as some parents have to quit their jobs and take care of children on their own, leading to a decrease in the labor force. He also added that authorities will adjust the number of quarantine hotels and isolation facilities.