Get Answers  →   employer  

Do I have to pay for a domestic helper’s medical expenses?

# managing  

Yes. According to the Labour Department’s Standard Employment Contract guidelines, employers must provide free medical treatment and emergency dental treatment for domestic helpers. It doesn’t matter if the injuries or sickness are related to work.

Employers are not responsible, however, to provide free treatment during the time a domestic helper leaves Hong Kong for personal reasons (eg. visiting home).

What does “free medical treatment” entail?

Free medical treatment includes medical consultations, maintenance in hospital, and emergency dental treatment. This is why it’s strongly encouraged that you take out an insurance policy with full medical and hospitalization coverage. 

Can I pick the medical practitioner?

Yes. According to your contract, a domestic helper must accept treatment by any registered practitioner that you choose. We recommend that you talk to your domestic helper beforehand about which practitioner she should consult when she gets sick or hurt.

Who pays for a domestic helper’s dental costs?

While employers are only required to provide emergency dental treatment for domestic helpers, many employers do help their domestic helper to access regular dental care. Here are some resources that may be helpful:

• Government Dental Clinics: These Clinics have ‘General Public Sessions’ providing emergency dental service, which is limited to pain relief & extraction.
• Other dental clinics?
  • Dentists in Hong Kong – ADMedLink
  • Dental Health for the Whole Family – Sassy Mama
  • Quality HealthCare Dental Care
  • Crowdsourced resource of dental clinics by Domestic Workers Corner (Facebook domestic helpers’ community)

Other Resources:

• BowtieGo: BowtieGo is a health and wellness membership program managed by Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited and the outpatient benefit under the membership program is not an insurance plan.

You might also like:

• Do I need to get insurance when I employ a domestic helper?
• How much does it cost to hire a domestic helper?
• Counselling for Domestic Helpers
• What are the policies and rights around pregnancy for domestic helpers?
• What is the Medical Certificate and why are domestic helpers required to get it?