Public concern over freelance employment agencies

Dear Editor,

I FIND the Labour Department's recent action is favouring freelance employment agencies who have their income affected because of the enforcement of the Employment Agency Order 2004.

So far, the action taken by the Labour Department falls short of addressing the public concern to be allowed to bring in their own maids.

I also find there is an element of discrimination by the Labour Department with regards to the privileges given to some freelance agents.

My points are:

First, how will the Labour Department know which freelancer is a new employment agency and which one is not when they all are doing the same business without proper licensing in whatever form?

Second, what has the old employment agency got to be entitled to the privilege of paying in instalment that the new employment agency do not have?

Third, why is the Labour Department's recent decision only favouring freelancers and not the public when the decision to only accept applications for foreign workers from registered employment agencies was based on the Dept's reasoning to protect the public from getting into trouble or cheated by these freelancers?

The department should address the public's grievance to exempt applications made by the individual themselves for foreign workers who will be working for them or for their own business? Isn't it the objective of the decision to help the public?

I would like to know how the Labour Department will ensure that freelancers who are trying to legalise now are not one of those who have cheated the public before?Decisions that affect livelihood of the public such as this should be discussed in the Legislative Council Meeting before they are adapted.

Hard Cash

Kg Jangsak