Maid may be deported for illness

The latest press release from the Asian Pacific Mission for Migrants:

[quote]
Prevent Mary Ann from Being Sent Home

This morning, Mary Ann Kag-Ayed was almost sent home just because she needs to be operated on. The problem is even a staff of the newly created “caring service” set up by the Council for Labor Affairs to handle complaints of migrants at the airport initially agreed for her repatriation because she stated that Mary Ann cannot work after the medical procedure.

Only the intercession of migrants’ rights advocates who got in touch with the Philippine representative office and the Council of Labor Affairs prevented this. But the local Labor Bureau will still deal with this issue this afternoon to act on the case.

It seems that the staff of the complaint center does not know anything about the labor rights of foreign workers who are protected by the Labor Standards Law and/or by their employment contracts. Migrants reserve the right to have a sick leave for 30 days and be paid by half of the minimum wage.

In effect, Mary Ann has the right to be operated on and recuperate while still in Taiwan. And it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that she is taken care of. In fairness to the employer whom the migrants

Law Protects Foreign Workers
taipeitimes.com/News/editori … 2003294288

That’s right Richard, the laws are in place, but we all know the way these things actually pan out. Uurrrrgggh.

Here in HK, supposedly a lonely bastion to the rule of law, maids are being tossed out routinley for falling pregnant, etc. Another frighterning development I note is that where a maid may win a case regarding abuse by an employer, appeals usually end up with the maid being deported.

Cheers Battboy. A very worthy cause.

HG

The law protects the foreign workers from the employers and the Guanxi protects the employers from the law. This woman needs a sympathetic legislator/journalist/lawyer who actually cares, or who can at least be persuaded there is political capital in pushing for the protection of her legitimate rights. It appears Guanxi can work both ways though in Taiwan, and with the right people on her side she might just win the Guanxi Battle.

So what is her status now? Is this is the Chinese-language press?