All About Full-Time Maids

[raynreg]

Andaiz:

Whether she gets her sunday off is something that you have to agree upon.


I think 8 hours is about right. 9 to 5? Then she comes back in time for dinner - no need to spend extra money.

Thanks again Andiaz.... As for dinner, her lost is my gain.. if she wants to have dinner out on her own..so be it. If she's back before dinner, then I would actually be happy because she may want to spent less outside (ie. savings mentality).

Actually to think of it, their \"off day\" is quite expensive relative to their salary. Probably it will cost them >10% of their monthly pay (ie. $350pm) including transport, food and others.

[hquek]

raynreg:

Thanks again Andiaz.... As for dinner, her lost is my gain.. if she wants to have dinner out on her own..so be it. If she's back before dinner, then I would actually be happy because she may want to spent less outside (ie. savings mentality).

Actually to think of it, their \"off day\" is quite expensive relative to their salary. Probably it will cost them >10% of their monthly pay (ie. $350pm) including transport, food and others.

oh raynreg, don't be fooled. My friend's maid (Indo) would cook up a feast and tapao to her meeting place during her offdays.

Although I haven't given day offs to my maids, I would say that laying ground rules and ensuring she is aware and agree to it will be best. Not sure if asking her to sign such a letter (ie she is aware of these rules) will cause problems, but I say it's to protect each other - much like the employment contract we employers have to sign...she cannot say she dunno; you can say you did tell her.

[raynreg]

cmm:

2. Stress to your maid the importance of road safety.


Err... u mean they can be careless on such things? Dun they know how to take care of their personal safety...thanks for the pointer.
3. My maid told me that some maids in her group (friends of her cousin whom she goes out with) drink and get very drunk. I tell her that this is not acceptable for me.

I'm scared of this as well. If they mix with the wrong pple then more problems is coming my way.. sigh...hopefully we can managed the expectations out.

4. I tell my maid not to pick up back habits or attitudes from other maids she may interact with. Once this happens, I will send her balik kampung. Don't even think I will transfer her to other employer cos no employer likes maid with bad attitudes/habits.

Agree..thanks for all the notes

[peapot]

raynreg, for filipino maids be mentally prepared. After their first tast of off day, they will start asking for more off days like christmas, good friday, new year’s day etc. My first maid was like that, if she didn’t get her off day her face turns black for a few days!


Also not sure if you would like to stress on their dressing because my myanmar maid dressed low cut on her off day and she made coffee in that outfit for my hubby. I was really mad!

[raynreg]

hquek:

oh raynreg, don't be fooled. My friend's maid (Indo) would cook up a feast and tapao to her meeting place during her offdays.


Although I haven't given day offs to my maids, I would say that laying ground rules and ensuring she is aware and agree to it will be best. Not sure if asking her to sign such a letter (ie she is aware of these rules) will cause problems, but I say it's to protect each other - much like the employment contract we employers have to sign...she cannot say she dunno; you can say you did tell her.

Ohh....she is not cooking for the family unless asked to do so. So far she has only cooked only 2 dishes.

[cmm]

2. Stress to your maid the importance of road safety.


Err... u mean they can be careless on such things? Dun they know how to take care of their personal safety...thanks for the pointer.

Road conditions are different in their own country compared to here. I tell her of stories reported in the news where ppl get knocked down even when walking on the pavement (remember that report many years ago about the fili maid who died after being knocked down while walking on the pavement after grocery shopping in siglap?). I myself witnessed several times vehicles beating the red light with or without intention. I train my maid to be very aware of her surroundings while walking on/near roads. We'll have a very nasty situation on our hands if our maid gets seriously injured.

3. My maid told me that some maids in her group (friends of her cousin whom she goes out with) drink and get very drunk. I tell her that this is not acceptable for me.

I'm scared of this as well. If they mix with the wrong pple then more problems is coming my way.. sigh...hopefully we can managed the expectations out.

It's very important to lay down the ground rules from day 1. I'd rather be very strict initially and gradually give more freedom as time goes by, provided of course my maid earns it.

4. I tell my maid not to pick up back habits or attitudes from other maids she may interact with. Once this happens, I will send her balik kampung. Don't even think I will transfer her to other employer cos no employer likes maid with bad attitudes/habits.

[hquek]

raynreg:

Ohh....she is not cooking for the family unless asked to do so. So far she has only cooked only 2 dishes.

hmmm, that maid was cooking for the family. But that feast she cooked up is for her to bring out...not the family to eat.

[raynreg]

peapot:

raynreg, for filipino maids be mentally prepared. After their first tast of off day, they will start asking for more off days like christmas, good friday, new year's day etc. My first maid was like that, if she didn't get her off day her face turns black for a few days!


Also not sure if you would like to stress on their dressing because my myanmar maid dressed low cut on her off day and she made coffee in that outfit for my hubby. I was really mad!

Hi peapot, thanks for your input. Yah..i read about your concern about the helper's dressing. We have removed some of her low cut t-shirts and told her its not appropriate.

We have to take a step at a time because she just finished her \"initial\" six months with us and this is her first day off. I do think that if request get to frequent or I'm at her mercy...then its time to move to on with a new helper.

[hquek]

cmm:

We'll have a very nasty situation on our hands if our maid gets seriously injured.

Agreed. Better think about upping insurance cos medical costs are fully to be borned by employers...and they being foreigners don't get subsidies.

cmm:

It's very important to lay down the ground rules from day 1. I'd rather be very strict initially and gradually give more freedom as time goes by, provided of course my maid earns it.

4. I tell my maid not to pick up back habits or attitudes from other maids she may interact with. Once this happens, I will send her balik kampung. Don't even think I will transfer her to other employer cos no employer likes maid with bad attitudes/habits.

I think in this respect we really have to treat maids like kids. If it were to happen to me, I'll try to psycho her into seeing that this is NOT desirable habit for her own good. But ultimately, if she chooses this path, there is nothing we can do...except balik kampung.

I also fully agree that trust has to be earned. hope your maid knows this also. I definitely would be more careful and less trusting around someone who's new to me and slowly allocate that trust as we go along. I have heard of some maids who expect instant trust from new employers...find this requirement to be ridiculous.

[raynreg]

hquek:

raynreg:

Ohh....she is not cooking for the family unless asked to do so. So far she has only cooked only 2 dishes.

hmmm, that maid was cooking for the family. But that feast she cooked up is for her to bring out...not the family to eat.

:shock: probably pot luck with her other friends as well.