Hong Kong domestic worker fired for having cancer in 2019 has died, aged 40
She is survived by her five children in the Philippines.
Allas was abruptly dismissed in February 2019 while on sick leave for stage three cervical cancer. Her termination letter said the reason for her dismissal was her illness and related sick leave.
Her story sparked a public outcry and shed a light on the exploitation of tens of thousands of domestic workers in Hong Kong, who can be fired after being diagnosed with an illness. They are left with little support to navigate their case, and often with no access to health care.
Allas was a single mother who came to work in Hong Kong in 2017 to support her family in the Philippines. After her termination, she was no longer eligible for free treatment from the Hospital Authority.
A crowdfunding campaign was initiated by American Jessica Cutrera – who employed Allas’s sister, and housed Allas after her dismissal – to cover her medical expenses.
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