CASE

Mari*, a 29 year old Indonesian came to Hong Kong in 2004. For the first 5 months she received no salary as it was paid as her agency fee. After she time she received $2000 and 2 rest days per month. She was required to sign a receipt for $3670. In October Mari broke her employer's vegetable peeler and threw it away in the garbage. When she sought permission to go to buy a new one her employer told her that the peeler was made of ivory and that it was worth $20,000. The employer wanted Mari to repay the full amount which she could not afford. Mari was told that she would not be paid for the next ten months so that she could pay back the vegetable peeler. She was also told to sign salary receipts for the 10 months but luckily she refused. In February she managed to record a conversation between herself and her employer's wife discussing the incident with the vegetable peeler and the fact that she was being underpaid.

Her employer continued to pressurize her about the incident with the vegetable peeler and told her that she should resign from her job. On her rest day she met with a friend and decided to seek advice. At the Labour Tribunal Mari was able to settle her case for $21,000 and has now returned to her family in Indonesia. * Not her real name.