Foreign Domestic Helper Work Injury Compensation Guide
All 7 Key Articles in One Place｜Employer Responsibilities & Protection Explained
When you hire a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong, if your helper is injured during work, the employer is not only responsible for arranging medical treatment, but also needs to handle work injury reporting, compensation calculation, injury assessment and other legal obligations. To help employers better understand foreign domestic helper work injury arrangements, we previously published a series of “Hong Kong Domestic Helper Work Injury Handling Guides”. These articles explain employer responsibilities, claim procedures, compensation calculation and common questions step by step.
This article summarises the key points of all 7 articles, so you can understand the most important work injury compensation information at a glance.
1. What are the employer’s basic responsibilities for foreign domestic helper work injuries?
As long as the helper is injured “during work or in the course of employment”, and the accident happens at home, the employer is generally responsible for work injury compensation.
Employers must:
l Purchase valid domestic helper insurance (including Employees’ Compensation)
l Arrange appropriate medical treatment
l Report the work injury case to the Labour Department
If these responsibilities are ignored, employers may need to pay large compensation amounts themselves and may also break the law.
Review Article 1: Guide to Handling Work Injuries (Part 1): Employer Responsibilities and Compensation | California Insurance | Domestic Helper Insurance
2. How can foreign domestic helper work injury compensation be handled?
Depending on the situation, work injury cases are usually handled in one of the following ways:
l Direct agreement (Form 2): The most common method. Sick leave is not more than 3 days and both parties reach an agreement.
l Compensation Assessment Certificate issued by the Labour Department (Form 10): Sick leave is more than 3 days but not more than 7 days.
l Injury assessment procedure: For more serious injuries that may involve permanent disability.
l Court judgment: Used when there is a dispute and the case needs to be decided by the court.
Each method involves different time, risk and cost. Employers should fully understand their legal responsibilities before choosing how to proceed.
Review Article 2: Guide to Handling Work Injuries - (Part 2): How to Apply for Compensation? 4 Things Employers Must Know | California Insurance | Domestic Helper Insurance
3. How is work injury compensation calculated?
Compensation amounts are not decided randomly. They are calculated based on factors such as: the helper’s income, severity of the injury, temporary or permanent loss of working ability.
Compensation may include:
l Wages during sick leave
l Compensation for permanent disability or death
l Medical-related expenses
Without insurance support, these costs can create serious financial pressure for employers.
Review Article 3: Guide to Handling Work Injuries - (Part 3): How to Calculate Compensation Amounts
4. What is the injury assessment procedure?
If the helper’s injury is more serious, the Labour Department will arrange an injury assessment by the Employees’ Compensation Assessment Board.
Process: After recovery, the Labour Department will send a letter to arrange a medical assessment at a designated hospital.
Result: The doctor will assess the percentage of the helper’s loss of earning capacity.
Employer responsibility: After receiving the assessment result (Form 5), the employer or insurance company must pay the compensation within 21 days.
Review Article 4: Guide to Handling Work Injuries - (Part 4) Injury Assessment and Other Key Points
5. Common work injury questions employers often ask
In the FAQ sections of the series, the most common concerns include:
l Does an injury on a rest day or holiday count as a work injury?
l Does the helper’s own negligence affect compensation?
l Can the employment contract be terminated during work injury leave?
l What if the insurance does not cover certain situations?
Many misunderstandings come from a lack of knowledge about the law and insurance coverage.
Review FAQs: (Part 1) | (Part 2) | (Part 3)
6. Why is domestic helper insurance so important?
A suitable domestic helper insurance policy not only meets legal requirements, but also:
l Helps handle work injury reporting and compensation
l Reduces unexpected financial risks for employers
l Provides professional support and avoids procedural mistakes
When accidents happen, having insurance support gives both employers and helpers clearer protection and peace of mind.
California Insurance Domestic Helper Insurance: View Details
Summary
Domestic helper work injuries are not uncommon. However, if employers understand their responsibilities, procedures and insurance protection in advance, they can avoid legal and financial risks caused by improper handling. Employers are advised to regularly review their domestic helper insurance coverage to ensure they can properly deal with work injury cases, protecting both themselves and their helpers.
Related Product:
California Insurance's latest foreign domestic helper insurance offers the highest coverage in Hong Kong with up to HK$88,000 coverage for hospitalization and surgical expenses; Loss of Service Cash Subsidy covers provide HK$200 per day. It also provides “New Starter Benefit” that offers probationary protection and “Open Cover” policy reservations for up to 365 days. Learn more or apply now.
The information provided in this article is for general reference only and should not be considered as any form of advice. Our company assumes no responsibility for its use
