The Labour Department (LD) yesterday (9/7) revoked the EA licence of HelperFirst Limited in Sai Kung. It was revoked as a related person of its licensee was earlier convicted of operating an EA without a valid licence. The EA’s appeal against the LD’s revocation of its EA licence was dismissed by the Administrative Appeals Board.
Under section 53(1)(d)(ii) of the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) (EO), the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the licence of an EA if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned or a related person of the licensee has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO.
“The EO stipulates that the Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee, has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers or operating an EA without a licence, or has not complied with the Code issued under section 62A(1) of the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.
Previously, the agency operated primarily out of The Hive Sai Kung at 5 Tai Mong Tsai Road, offering services to match domestic helpers with local employers. It styled itself as an ethical employment agency.
It’s Linked-in profile states that “HelperFirst is a domestic helper employment agency based in Hong Kong. Using lessons learned in the games industry and taking lessons from 20 years of experience publishing online games. A product of the ‘Canyudo’ project, it is an ethical, but commercial project; a synthesis of the ethos ‘make work play'”.
It claimed to have 2-10 employees, being founded in 2010. The website of HelperFirst is operated by Canyudo Ltd 7 Manor Street, Bridlington, YO15 2SA, United Kingdom.
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