Labour Department reminds foreign domestic helpers and employers of the new measure on designated quarantine hotels
2020-12-11
The Government announced today (December 11) that a new measure will be put in place with effect from 0.00am, December 22, 2020 to mandate all travellers arriving in Hong Kong from countries outside China to undergo 14-day compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels in accordance with the directions under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H). The designated quarantine hotels can only receive the aforementioned inbound travellers who are subject to compulsory quarantine. The Government will arrange designated transportation for sending the travellers from the airport and the Holding Centre for Test Result to the designated quarantine hotels, with a view to reducing their contact with the community.
A Labour Department (LD) spokesman said, "LD reminds foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), employers and employment agencies (EAs) to take note of the aforementioned new measure. Before a relevant FDH is checked-in for a flight to Hong Kong, he/she should produce confirmation of room reservation at a designated quarantine hotel to the operator of the aircraft for boarding the aircraft. The room reservation should be for a period of not less than 14 nights starting on the day of the arrival of the relevant FDH in Hong Kong. Employers and EAs (if applicable) are reminded to make necessary preparations for their FDHs beforehand. If an FDH is not able to produce the said confirmation, he/she may not be allowed to board the flight to Hong Kong. Relevant FDHs are reminded that without the permission of an authorised officer, they are not allowed to leave the room and no one is allowed to visit them during the 14-day compulsory quarantine period. The hotels will provide three meals a day to the persons under quarantine."
"Employers are also reminded to comply with their obligations under the Standard Employment Contract, including bearing the accommodation expenses and providing food allowance to FDHs during the FDHs’ compulsory quarantine," the spokesman continued.
"For EAs, they have the responsibility to provide correct information to employers and FDHs. They should remind and/or assist employers in making relevant arrangements to comply with the relevant measure. If there is evidence that an EA has violated the requirements in the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies, the EA concerned will be penalised."
A list of designated quarantine hotels and relevant Frequently Asked Questions have been uploaded to the thematic webpage on Designated Hotels for Quarantine (www.designatedhotel.gov.hk). For enquiries on the new measure, please call the hotline of the Department of Health at 2125 1122. For enquiries on employment rights and benefits, please contact LD at the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537 (manned by "1823") or by email to fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, December 11, 2020
Issued at HKT 22:11
