22 June 2017, Tel Aviv - A Filipino caregiver in Israel was awarded a financial settlement from her agency after filing a case for illegal collection of placement fee before the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in 2016.

The worker, whose name has been withheld upon her request, sought the assistance of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Tel Aviv (POLO Tel Aviv) after reading its advisory on the Philippine government’s “No Placement Fee” policy. She was being charged a fee of over US$8,000.

Labor Attaché Rodolfo Gabasan welcomed this development, pointing out that the worker’s employer had fully supported her decision to file a case against the agency that had illegally charged her a placement fee.

“There was no effect on the employment of the caregiver after the settlement,” Labor Attaché Gabasan affirmed. He encouraged similarly situated workers to approach the Philippine Embassy for assistance in filing their own cases.

The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv has consistently advised Filipino workers in Israel that the practice of collecting placement fees for Household Service Workers (HSWs) is illegal under Philippine law, and that they may file cases against agencies or their sub-agents who continue this practice.

Queries on the policy and how to address placement fee concerns may be sent to the Philippine Embassy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..