Terminating an employee
I wrote a new article "How to Terminate an Employee". We don't encourage employers to terminate employees, but let's face reality: these relations don't always work out. If you reach the point where you need to terminate your employee, do it well! The work relationship can be ended in an amicable way. We are currently translating into Chinese. We welcome your comments.
上月底來港菲傭染新型流感情況危殆
商業電台 - Hong Kong
本港確診多58宗甲型H1N1流感，病例總數增至1236宗，新增患者中，一名37歲菲律賓女傭情況危殆，是本港第二宗新型流感嚴重病例。衛生防護中心總監曾浩輝說，這名菲傭上月廿八日到港，同僱主住在觀塘，僱主第二日帶她驗身時發現發燒，到本月七日病情轉差，再到聯合醫院求診，...
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India Trip
I'm in India for the week (June 16-20). Pastor Andrew Pang and I are visiting a friend and building some relationships with local pastors and churches. The place I am staying has internet access in the a.m., and you can also drop me a note via sms to my cell phone. The computer here doesn't handle Chinese, so please send any emails or notes in English. Thanks.
Allan Smith
Our New Home
We created a new home on the internet for Arrow. The address is the same, but the website is different. Our new site features the helpers first of all. There are page numbers on the bottom of each page, so navigating the website is much easier. I have been told that it may take a full 24-72 hours for the internet to correctly point http://arrowes.hk to this new website. If you have found your way here, well... congratulations!
Back from the Philippines
I, Allan, arrived back from the Philippines on Thursday. Wow! We have a great new batch of helpers available now. We'll try to have all the scores added to their profiles by Monday or Tuesday. Quite a few have already been hired, so if you are interested in someone please don't hestitate to call and ask about them. We are willing to hold a candidate for 24 hours only. Otherwise it is "first come, first serve".
我是Allan, 剛於星期四從菲律賓返回(香港)。你看, 我們現在有許多幫手了. 我們會於星期一或星期二把他們的積分加於他們的個人檔案中.他們當中已有少部分人被僱用了.若果你對這些傭工有興趣的話, 請不要猶豫. 你們可主動與他們
我們願意為你於24小時內留住你的心水雇傭, 不然, 則先到先得了。
我於星期五失了聲. 我尋找了許久都找不著是什麼原因。我都不知道怎樣於星期日開聲說話,
但我知道神會為我開路的。如果你想跟我說話, 你需要多加忍耐並把你的說話盡量說得簡潔:-) 謝謝
Tips on choosing a helper (scroll down for helper profiles)
當你雇用一名家傭時, 有 3樣東西是很重要及你需要知道的：
1.你自己：你有時間和耐性去訓練一名家傭嗎？如果你有，很多女傭，即使他們沒有海外工作的經驗都將會是合適你的。如果你對你家傭有很高的期望或你沒有足夠的時間或耐性去訓練一名新的幫手, 那麼我相信曾在香港或新加坡工作過的家傭將會比較適合你。你需要知道你選一個家傭的優先條例！在看簡介之前，你可列先出你的優先要求，例如第一托兒 #2 烹飪 #3 打掃。
2.家傭：比較年長的女子處事比較成熟，她們往往能適應一些比較複雜的家庭。一些年輕及已婚的女傭比較常出現思鄉及丈夫方面的問題，這情況多出現於35歲以下的女士。菲律賓人傾向生活在一起他們喜歡像大家庭一樣。因此, 很多單身女子都有托兒和兒童看管方面的經驗。很多大學畢業生都有心到加拿大裹工作，但不是全部都能這樣。很多卻願意來港工作。你需要認真地跟他們談談這些問題，要求他們承諾能完成他們的合約。
3.代理商：沒有完美的雇傭, 雇主或代理，但是很多人會選擇來到精箭, 因為我們對我們的顧客給予很多的關顧。
當事情不能實踐時，我們會盡全力以一種不會令雇主有太大負擔及損失的方式來解決這些問題。
你也可以向我們詢問你可能對其感興趣的女傭，我們將給與你有關這女傭最好的評估和他們的工作能力, 務求令她們能「適合你」。當我們有空的時候, 我們將公佈更多有關這些女傭的相片和錄像。
當你讀一段簡介時，不忘記按一下「繼續閱讀」鏈結看那申請者的分數。
There are 3 parties involved in hiring a helper. It is important that you understand all 3:
- Yourself: Do you have the time and patience to train a helper? If so, many of these ladies are suitable, even if they do not have overseas experience. If you have high expectations or you don't have enough time or patience to train a new lady, then choose someone with Hong Kong or Singapore experience. Know your priorities! Before looking at the profiles list your priorities, e.g. #1 childcare #2 cooking #3 cleaning.
- The Helper: Older ladies are more mature, and able to handle complicated families. Some younger married women have more homesick problems and problems with their husbands, than do women who are 35 & up. Filipinos tend to live together as large families, so the singles often have a LOT of childcare and infant care experience. University grads may have ambitions to go to Canada, but not all of them do. Many are content to work in HK. Talk to them honestly about this, ask for their commitment to complete their contract.
- The Agency: There are no perfect helpers or employers or agencies, but most people come to Arrow because we give a high level of care to our customers, and when things don't work out, we do our best to resolve the situation in a way that doesn't put too big a burden on the employer.
New Applicants available
I've put information about our new applicants online. I will add others later today. We have less people than expected, but those who have come to the training seem like quality people. We'll give you our assessment of their abilities later in the week.
Here are some photo highlights from Day 3. The training center asked one of our teams (4 ladies) to clean an old house, that they were using for storage. Think junk and spiders and dirt! Although the place still needs a paint job, take a look at the pictures and you can easily tell which are the before and after pictures.
New Helpers Available! Arrow Training Starts on May 18th!
涉漂白水餵少主印傭還柙
涉漂白水餵少主印傭還柙
成報 - Hong Kong
【記者陳超銓報道】一名被僱主解僱的印尼籍女傭，
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Scores have been added to the Helper Profiles
我們在菲律賓的訓練已經完成了, 所有受訓者的資料已經上載到網頁。如果你想查看受訓者的成績, 可以按一下「繼續閱讀 ...」你將看到那些受訓者的成績。
我和我的妻子 Ione明天將在前往印度（返回星期五），但是別擔心，我們的辦公室是不會關閉的, 並準備安排與任何你感興趣的家傭進行面試。你也可以透過電子郵件與我聯絡，除了在飛機上或在進行會議中。
祝大家有一個愉快的星期！ Allan
We have completed our training in the Philippines and all the profiles are updated. If you want to see the scores click on the section "continue reading..." and you will see the scores for any individual you might be interested in.
3成印傭中介費超標58倍
■印傭Titik(化名)表示，首份僱傭合約上，清楚列明每月薪金3,320元(當時的法定最低工資)，僱主每月卻只給2,000元。 本報記者聶曉輝 攝 【本報訊】(記者 聶曉輝)目前本港有約數十萬名外傭，每年為本港提供大量家庭服務，但他們部分人薪金偏低，更受僱主剝削和中介公司壓榨。有調查顯示，印傭遭剝削的問題最為嚴重，12.1%受訪者收取的薪金低於法定3,580元；30.2%受訪者未能享受每星期一天休息日。調查又發現，印傭辛勤得來的薪金，亦經常被中介公司掠奪，法例規定介紹費為外傭月薪的1成，即約350元，但28.8%受訪者支付的介紹費接近甚至超過2萬元，超過法定的58倍或以上。 Read the full article here: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2009/02/16/YO0902160012.htmIt is hard for me to believe that employers could get away with this kind of behaviour. Where are the agencies that arranged the employment? Did they collaborate with the employers to cheat these women?
3成印傭中介費超標58倍
http://www.wenweipo.com [2009-02-16]
放大圖片
剝削印傭僱主逍遙律政司警方幫兇
【東方日報專訊】律政司及警方竟成為無良僱主剝削外傭的幫兇。一名印尼女傭報稱遭女僱主要求「一人侍兩家」，更被迫每天工作十七小時，她求助無門後離家出走，卻反遭僱主誣告盜竊而被捕，更一度繫獄大半個月。案件鬧上法庭後，控方只起訴印傭的做法備受裁判官質疑，反而僱主未被檢控。涉案印傭昨承認違反逗留條件罪後獲裁判官當庭釋放，法庭並批評警方、律政司及僱傭公司均有失職，剝削印傭之餘更讓僱主逍遙法外，未能彰顯公義。
涉案印傭Tatik Krisnawati（卅歲）現無業，暫住庇護中心。她昨在觀塘法院認罪，控罪指她於去年七月十八日至九月廿九日期間，未獲入境處處長批准而在黃大仙鳳德道安利大廈某單位內工作，違反入境處向她施加的有效逗留條件。
My friend Joel Delacruz
Joel Delacruz是我們的其中一個精箭申請者的丈夫。他想申請也在香港工作。但Joel是一名有很天賦的藝術家！ 他不必在香港工作， 而是需要在香港銷售他的藝術作品。他為一名日本雇主工作, 那雇主賣出他的作品以換取1000披索，但給回Joel的卻是很小。可能你會有一個想法去幫助Joel銷售他的作品。這裡是Joel的一些作品。
Joel Delacruz is the husband of one of our Arrow applicants. He wants to apply to work in Hong Kong as well. The only problem is: JOEL IS A GIFTED ARTIST! He doesn't need to work in Hong Kong, he needs to market his artwork. He worked for a Japanese employer who sold his work for 1000's of pesos, and paid Joel almost nothing. Perhaps you have an idea to help Joel market his work. Here are a few samples.
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| From Joel Delacruz |
那平衡鯊魚雕刻品還未完成。Joel將會為它上油漆。他願意設計一些你要求規格的作品。
Arrow Orientation is Over
我們職前訓練已經完成了!如你想知道實習生的成績， 請按一下「繼續閱讀」在每名實習生的個人簡歷資訊底部的連結。我們稍后將曾加一些錄影片段。
Our pre-employment orientation is now finished. To read the scores on the trainees, click on the "Continue reading ... " link at the bottom of each trainee's bio information. We'll add some short videos later.
Chinese New Year Retreat
Allan, Ione and family are in the Philippines for vacation, while Jubilee Church is hosting a Chinese New Year retreat for domestic helpers and their friends. Here are some pictures from our retreat: Click here to see more pictures.
做家務受責 外傭毆傷僱主母
【新報訊】青衣灝景灣發生傷人案，一名外籍女傭昨晨做家務期間，與女僱主母親因清潔問題起爭執，竟動手揮拳毆打老婦及毀壞一部電話，被女僱主制止及報警，警員到場將老婦送院，涉嫌傷人外傭被捕帶署調查。被捕外籍女傭Elisabeth（21歲），被毆傷老婦杜×雲（76歲），左手受傷，送院時清醒，經敷治後已無礙。
New Class of Arrow Helpers Coming Soon!
I believe strongly that we still have some excellent ladies on our website. The are trustworthy, capable and will serve your family well. Still, we know we need to "refill the tank", so we will be conducting 2 weeks of Arrow Pre-employment Orientation in the Philippines from February 2 -13. Most of these trainees are recommended to us from Arrow helpers who are doing their jobs well, some others come to us from Philippine Christian churches. Many of them will be ex-abroad (Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, the middle east, etc.). We'll start posting their bios on line immediately, so please stay tuned!
Chinese New Year Retreat for Helpers
Jubilee Church, where many helpers learn about the Lord, is conducting a Chinese New Year retreat for helpers. Below is a link to the schedule and theme for the retreat. If your helper can attend for part of the retreat it will help them grow, and hopefully, also become an even better helper.
Arrow 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Party
Our 2nd Annual party to say "thank you" to our helpers was a great success. A number of employers contributed lucky draw prizes, others altered their helper's day off so they could attend, and still others themselves showed up to join the party. We have never claimed to have HK best helpers, (even though we have some excellent workers) but we are sure we have the best employers in all of Hong Kong, as we say in the US: "no contest". Here are some highlight
Maid abuse draws 18-year sentence (Al Jezeera News)
A Malaysian mother of four has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for abusing her Indonesian domestic worker. Judge Akhtar Tahir sentenced Yim Pek Ha, 40, on Thursday after she was found guilty of inflicting horrific wounds on Nirmala Bonat, who was working for her in a Kuala Lumpur condominium in 2004. "Nirmala Bonat has been consistent in her statements that her lady boss injured her, from the time she was found by a security guard," said the judge when passing the sentence. Yim, a former flight attendant, was charged on three counts of causing injury to Nirmala, and had faced prison sentences of up to 20 years on each count. Nirmala, who was then 19, suffered severe burns and bruises over much of her body after Yim repeatedly pressed a hot iron on her back and breasts and scalded her with boiling water in the worst-ever case of maid abuse reported in the country. 'Sadistic behaviour' Rejecting Yim's defence that the injuries were self-inflicted, the judge said he wanted to impose a "deterrent sentence" to show that "sadistic behaviour cannot be tolerated in civil society". "This will serve as a deterrent to future cases" Eka Suripto, Indonesian diplomat in Kuala Lumpur Jagjit Singh, Yim's lawyer, said he would appeal against the sentence which he described as "excessive" because there was "no loss of life, no disfigurement, no scars". The case sparked national outrage that focused attention on the plight of migrant domestic workers following photographs published in Malaysian newspapers in 2004 of Nirmala's injuries. Nirmala said she was beaten and burned for mistakes she made during her five months in Yim's home. She said that on one occasion her employer took a hot iron and pressed it against her breasts after complaining that clothes had not been properly ironed. Nirmala has since left Malaysia. "This will serve as a deterrent to future cases," said Eka Suripto, an Indonesian diplomat in Kuala Lumpur. Indonesian diplomats say at least 1,500 maids seek help at their offices across Malaysia each year, most of them complaining of unpaid wages but some reporting physical abuse. Nirmala's plight even drew the attention of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Indonesian president, and led to street protests outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta. Malaysia is home to up to two million foreign workers, mostly Indonesians who often take up jobs as domestic helpers, construction workers and plantation labourers.
Nirmala's abuse four years ago is the worst-ever reported case in the country [AFP]
Indonesia, which has asked Malaysia to do more to protect its workers in the country, said it was pleased with the ruling.
Abuse of Indonesian maids in Malaysia have sparked protests in Jakarta [EPA]