Things You Need to Know about Pregnancy-Related Sick Leave

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When a migrant domestic worker(MDW) employed under a continuous contract (i.e., for at least 4 weeks and working not less than 18 hours per week) needs to attend a medical examination in relation to her pregnancy, post-confinement medical treatment or miscarriage, any such day she is absent from work shall be counted as sick leave.

Certificate of Attendance

It is the MDW’s responsibility to request a certificate of attendance from the medical professionals and present it to her employer to avail her entitlements to sick leave payment (if applicable).

Sickness Allowance

If the MDW has accumulated a sufficient number of paid sick days, she is entitled to a sickness allowance at a daily rate equivalent to four-fifths of her average daily wages. If the MDW has not accumulated sufficient paid sickness days, she is still entitled to sickness days, but any exceeding sickness days will be unpaid.

Employment Protection

An employer is prohibited from terminating the contract of employment of an employee on her paid sickness day, except in cases of summary dismissal due to the employee’s serious misconduct.

For more information, please visit the labor department website:

  1. Maternity Protection: https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/MaternityProtection.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3eOQUaUdxe7TLC_VEoSjd8IG3duB7dnwv-nOoXHhTw7NZSrMmXPdcbMJM
  2. Sickness Allowance: https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/ConciseGuide/05.pdf

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