View Poll Results: Would you lend your helper money to pay for an operation for her mother?
- Voters
- 47. You may not vote on this poll
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Yes, I would but have not been asked
9 19.15% -
No, I wouldnt and I have not been asked
22 46.81% -
Yes, I would and have done in the past
16 34.04%
Would loan money to your helper?
- 09-02-2008, 01:48 PM #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
- Location
- HK
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- 2
Would loan money to your helper?
A simple question... if you had a good helper you trusted, and she asked to borrow money to pay for an operation for her mother who is sick, would you? Or have you?
- 09-02-2008, 02:24 PM #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- Mid Levels
- Posts
- 375
In general I would say yes, although I guess it depends on the amount of the loan. From time to time, our helper has asked for advances on her salary from time to time, which we are fine with. The most we have advanced is 2 months' salary - and that was for her mom's illness.
- 09-02-2008, 02:29 PM #3
I have lent my helper money on several occasions for family emergencies. I'd rather she borrows from us than a 3d party. She has gotten in trouble with the money lenders and has learnt her lesson.
- 09-02-2008, 02:41 PM #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Pokfulam
- Posts
- 100
Yes, but not more than her monthly salary (HKD4,000). She pays me back HKD500 each month. For some reason, as soon as she is about to pay off her 'loan,' she'd have another emergency. Just a coincidence or bad financial management? I have no idea.
- 09-02-2008, 04:53 PM #5Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2003
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 356
Yes, twice in 8 years. The first was for medical expenses for her daughter, which I gave her as a gift (it wasn't much money), although she did offer to repay it.
The second was for her son's wedding and by my standards was a large amount of money. I save an extra 10% of her salary each month into an interest bearing account, sort like a retirement bonus when she stops working for us (will also cover long service leave easily). I took the wedding funds out of this and explained to her what I'd done and why it didn't need to be repaid.
- 09-02-2008, 06:03 PM #6Registered User
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 544
(That's a great idea, jane01 --about putting aside 10% into an interest-bearing account.)
Yes, both times for emergencies in the family --in the form of salary advances.
- 09-02-2008, 06:06 PM #7Banned
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
- Location
- Mid Levels, Hong Kong
- Posts
- 1,337
We have lent her money many times no problem. but our helper has been with us more than 14 years. Generally when she travels back home or when she needs for her daughter as her daughter has polio. She is also very clever as a lot of helpers take loans from 3rd party and these 3rd parties ask for guarantee of another helper and when the original borrower doesnt pay they chase the guarantor.
- 09-02-2008, 08:04 PM #8Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Southside
- Posts
- 660
I think everyone I knows has a helper whose 'mother' or 'father' has needed an operation at one time or another. I really think it depends on your helper. Our first one, who we fired after 8 months of putting up with really bad work asked for a loan of $8k. I said no, that we categorically did not loan to helpers. If our current one asked I would probably do it but if I had even a whiff that she was lying to me about the reason for it I would say no. I would much rather her tell me the truth, no matter what the story than feed me lies. Our first helper told me at the interview that her father was dead. 5 months later he made a miraculous recovery and she needed to borry money for his hospital bills!
Our new helper has a bone lazy husband and 5 children to support. We pay her a good amount of money (4.5/month) and give her bonuses quite often to help. We also just paid for her sister in law to come across and helped her find an employer. Now hopefully the sister in law will help support her bum brother so our helper has one less mouth to feed!
I think a lot depends on the amount of money, the time frame to pay it back and whether you really, really trust them.
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