Press release September 28th, 2017
HelperChoice is supporting the International Labour Organization to fight illegal recruitment practices of domestic workers in Hong Kong.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency created in 1919. It brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member states, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all.
The ILO Fair Programme aims to promote fair recruitment practices, including among domestic workers. Part of this programme aims to influence the behaviours of employers when it comes to the recruitment of domestic workers. In Hong Kong, HelperChoice worked closely with the ILO to set-up a survey on recruitment practices sent to more than 7,000 employers of domestic workers.
The intervention called on employers to ask their domestic workers if they have been charged illegal recruitment fees, and to report any indications that the employment agencies had overcharged them.
“We think that if everyone takes small actions, it could have a big impact on the recruitment industry in Hong Kong. Employers can play a big role in demanding fair recruitment services and shifting the market.” Julie Delignon, HelperChoice Country Manager, said.
The International Labour Organization will soon publish the results of the survey. The ultimate goal is to strengthen dialogue between domestic workers and their employers on recruitment issues so that actions are taken in countries of origin and destination to continue improving legal frameworks on recruitment and their enforcement.
Fair recruitment benefits both workers and employers! HelperChoice hopes that this kind of initiative will help change the rules of the game in the best interest of all parties. The leading online platform helping employers to find the right domestic worker encourages decent employment opportunities and promotes healthy employer-worker relationships.
