First week with a new domestic helper: a household onboarding checklist
The first week is the time to make the household routine clear and to identify questions early. A written plan, a home orientation and regular check-ins can reduce avoidable misunderstandings. They are HelperIndex HK guidance, not new legal requirements.
Start with the Standard Employment Contract and the attached Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties. Immigration says an FDH works and resides at the employer's contractual address and performs domestic duties for that employer's household. ↗ If the address or duties schedule needs to change, use Immigration's current process rather than relying on a verbal agreement.
Confirm the living arrangements
Show the helper the accommodation, storage space, bathroom arrangements and how to use household equipment safely. Explain which spaces are private and when family members are likely to need quiet time.
The employer must provide suitable, furnished accommodation free of charge and reasonable privacy. The Labour Department's FDH handbook explains these contract requirements. ↗ Do not describe a temporary household preference as a change to the contract.
Also confirm the food arrangement. Under the Standard Employment Contract, an employer provides free food or a food allowance. The Labour Department's employer guidance sets out this and other employment conditions. ↗
Write down the usual routine
Make a simple first-week plan that says when people leave and return, regular meal times, school or care routines, regular domestic tasks and how to ask for clarification. Demonstrate unfamiliar appliances and tasks before expecting the helper to do them alone.
This plan is household guidance. It must stay within the domestic duties and household described in the contract. Immigration's FAQ explains that an FDH cannot be required to work for another person or at another address. ↗
Agree communication and safety contacts
Give the helper a written list of household contacts, building information and emergency numbers. Explain how to report an urgent issue, an illness, a household hazard or a task that is unclear. Agree a routine for daily check-ins during the first week, then adjust it as the household settles.
Show where first-aid supplies, fire-safety equipment, gas or electricity controls and important household documents are kept. Do not expect a new helper to guess a safety procedure.
Discuss rest, privacy and feedback
Confirm the rest-day arrangement and how to request a change or raise a concern. An FDH is entitled to at least one continuous 24-hour rest day in every seven-day period. The Labour Department also advises employers to allow time to adapt to a new family environment, provide sufficient sleep and rest time, and respect privacy. ↗
Ask how the helper prefers to receive feedback. Keep feedback specific to the work and explain a new routine rather than assuming it is understood. Review the plan together after a few days.
First-week checklist
- Tour the home and show how to use unfamiliar appliances safely.
- Confirm accommodation, privacy, food and the usual rest-day arrangement.
- Write down the household routine, main tasks and the people who give instructions.
- Share emergency contacts and explain what to do if a task or hazard is unclear.
- Demonstrate tasks that are new to the helper before assigning them alone.
- Schedule a short check-in and record any change that needs a formal contract or Immigration process.
If an agency introduced the helper, keep its contact details available for administrative questions. Before you rely on an agency for a licence or contract-related claim, use the Labour Department's licence records and our licence-checking guide.