Filipino national Jenny Agredo contacted This Is Lebanon’s Facebook page on 9 February, 2020. She had arrived in Lebanon on 24 June, 2019, as a domestic worker, but her primary responsibility was to care for a single, sick man in his 50s. 

Despite Jenny’s attentiveness to his needs, he passed away on 6 February, 2020. At the date of his death, Jenny was owed two months’ salary. The deceased man’s brother brought her to his house, advising her that he planned to take her back to the employment agency in Lebanon.

For want of a better turn of phrase, his intention was to sell her. Jenny wanted to return to the Philippines, but had no say in the matter. She, the partly-used merchandise, was being returned to the wholesaler. He would return her to the agency, and a new employer would pay for her. In return, the brother would receive some money. 

The law surrounding what happens to a domestic worker when their sponsor dies is unclear. In some previous cases, the children of the deceased have gained inheritance rights over the worker. 

In Jenny’s case, her employer had no children and she was taken by his brother. We contacted him and initially he refused our request to send her home and, in fact, blocked us on WhatsApp.  He later had a change of heart and sent Jenny home on 18 February, 2020. She had agreed to forfeit her 2 months’ unpaid salary in exchange for the cost of sending her home. Jenny is happy to be home and thankful to This Is Lebanon for negotiating her repatriation.