Does the employer have to pay for a domestic helper’s medical expenses?
Yes. According to the Standard Employment Contract, 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 employers take out an insurance policy with full medical and hospitalisation coverage.
Can the employer pick the medical practitioner?
Yes. According to the employment contract, a domestic helper must accept treatment by any registered practitioner that the employer chooses. We recommend that you talk to the domestic helper beforehand about which practitioner they should consult if falling ill.
Who pays for a domestic helper’s dental treatment?
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. Below we list 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:
Last updated on July 6th, 2023
