DH asking to borrow money

[shri]

If you agree that the victim is the employer -- then how do we protect ourselves?

If you don't agree that the eventual victim is the employer -- we have another issue to deal with.

From our perspective -- we know that the helper can report the passport stolen / lost and get a new one in days -- it is not like we're taking her first born or her soul and holding it ransom.

However, it gives employers a peace of mind. Rather us than a loan shark.

 

[BabyEden]

As what I know, DH can borrow money with her ID card and employment contract. No passport needed anymore. So I don't keep my DH passport. My ex-DH borrow money from bank few days before she left HK. (So you can see her intention is not going to repay)

She just worked with us for 9 months and she said she is missing her son and give one month notice to me. When she left, she had three large luggages back home and lots of unpaid telephone bills. I received annoying calls after few weeks she left coz repayment day is due. I have to fax them the termination letter to final the case.

Good luck!

 

[joannek]

i used to keep my previous helpers passport. but then i heard that they can borrow money with just an ID card. and this helper actually asked me to give her back her passport after our last trip.

so keeping the passport helps?

 

[hunhun]

Sorry typo, I meant 3 weeks rather than 3 months. Apparently, once the Canadian Consulate approves and issues a working visa to a DH, she has only 3 weeks time to move over.

 

[joannek]

yeah, that happened to my friend. she had a new baby & the DH gave her 3 wks notice and left for Canada (and she has worked with her before she got married). and it took her 3 mths to get a new DH. poor girl.

 

[rani]

i used to keep my previous helpers passport. but then i heard that they can borrow money with just an ID card. and this helper actually asked me to give her back her passport after our last trip.

so keeping the passport helps?

I guess not then. I didn't realise they could borrow with their ID cards. The finance companies must have caught on that employers are holding the passports and made things easier for them.

:wow: , I didn't realise the Canadian visa processing was so fast. It's a great opportunity for helpers. Not so great for us :frown:

 

[hunhun]

It takes the Canadian Consulate about 4-6 months to process. And then once they approve and issue a visa to the DH, she will have to land in Canada within 3 weeks time.

Really not so great news to us employers...but good for them! Mind you, I heard some of them weren't happy in Cananda after working over there for a year or so, especially when they realise that they have to pay lots of income tax, high living costs compared to Hong Kong, and the cold cold winter as well. Some of them ended up asking their HK employers to have them back.

 

[joannek]

yes, plus they have to pay for own ticket to go home, which is so much more expensive & far away then HK. a lot of them never saved enuf money to go home. some hasn't been home for 5 years to see their children. and most of them have to rent a home outside of their employer's, cos they're supposed to stay out on weekends when they're off. rent, running a house, cost of living, they end up not being able to save more than in HK. that's why they need to come back. unless their intention is to immigrate & apply for their children to go, then they should go to canada.

but then, they always think N. America is the land of gold.

 

[jane01]

Personally, I think keeping a helper's passport is too much like slavery, but that is just me...

For what it is worth, I don't loan money to my helper. Twice in the 6 years she has been working for us, she has asked for a small amount of money for relative's medical expenses. Both times less than HK$3k. She has offered to pay them back, but I have treated them as a one off gift. I was satisfied that the need was genuine. It wasn't a huge amount of money to me, but it was to her.

I think lending to your helper is a bit like lending money to friends and family - don't expect it back !

For what it is worth, I wouldn't lend her HK$20k. To me, that is too much to lose. I wouldn't expect my employer to loan me over 5 times my monthly salary.

 

[joannek]

jane01, you're very lucky. i have a friend who's DH borrowed money from loan companies & other DH in the bldg and when the DH left, everyone went to my friend to get their money back & the loan companies kept calling.

then there was one who's DH borrowed money with her passport & when they went for a trip, my friend had to pay the loan to get back the passport so they can went on the trip.