A Hong Kong charity is calling for an exemption to the live-in rule for foreign domestic helpers who give birth in the city, saying that the rule can result in newborns being separated from their mothers.
The report released publicly on Monday by charity PathFinders also called for the implementation of training and guidelines for employers to prevent issues stemming from maternity-related matters. The group supports migrant mothers and their children and handles about 16 pregnant clients a month.
“The reality is, if a pregnancy happens, it’s very challenging for an individual employer to manage,” PathFinders CEO Catherine Gurtin said.
“Most people do not understand what their obligations are … so then we see children and workers being separated in those very early and important days after birth.”
Hong Kong is home to around 370,000 foreign domestic helpers, the vast majority of whom are women and predominantly from the Philippines and Indonesia.
According to the Labour Department, employers are required to provide foreign domestic helpers with 14 weeks of paid maternity leave if the helper has been working for at least 40 consecutive weeks.
