Filipina “locked out” of employer’s flat settles case amid threat of negligence suit

Lorna E.C. was allegedly made to sleep outside the flat of her employer in October 2019

The Filipina domestic helper who was purportedly locked out of her employer’s flat in 2019 settled her case for less than half of the compensation claim she asked for.

The former domestic helper agreed to a $3,500-payment from her employer, sans a plane ticket back to the Philippines, following a hearing at the Labour Tribunal on Jan. 13, 2020.

She originally demanded a compensation claim amounting to $9,867, $6,970 of which was for meal allowance, a source from the Philippine Labor Overseas Office said.

The 50-year-old claimant from Capiz, however, said she was willing to settle after her employer turned the tables on her and threatened to file a case against her for allegedly hurting their child.

“The employer made a manifest that they will file a case against her, sinasaktan daw niya bata, may rashes daw,” the source said.

Lorna refuted this, though her employer told Presiding Officer Ms. Ho Wai Yang that they have not filed a case yet but is “contemplating” to do so.

Lorna later told the presiding officer that she is willing to settle even as her employer, Kenneth Kwok Ka Chun, only offered to pay a third of the amount she initially asked for.

This came about as the Filipina domestic worker was also unable to prove that her employer did not provide her enough meal allowance, an allegation she raised in October 2019.

She told the presiding officer that she became “malnourished,” but was unable to convince the latter following her failure to provide sufficient evidence.

The defendant said they initially already extended Lorna a payment of $3,000 plus a plane ticket to her hometown, but she declined to accept it.

They said they can now only offer her $3,500 but will not pay for her airfare. Lorna, whose visa is set to expire on Jan.20, 2020, later said after the hearing that she is amenable to this, a Philippine authority said.

Acting Labor Attache Antonio Villafuerte said the former domestic helper need not worry about her plane ticket, however, as they will provide her assistance for her trip back home.

“Our welfare officer can help her with her ticket,” he said.

The case of Lorna E.C. hogged the headlines in October 2019 after a photo which allegedly showed her being locked out of her employer’s residence went viral on social media.