All About Full-Time Maids

[pirated]

gogoahead:

If maid didn't turn up at the airport on the date of arrival after home leave, besides cancel her work permit, what else should I do?

looks like a frequent and common occurrence

MOM should set up a black list registry for such errant maid

[Funz]

laiwh:

hey all, how do you settle the maid's meals? if both u and your spouse are working during day time, that means at least one meal has to be settled by the maid herself.


Some options I think of:
1. Let her cook food herself with whatever she can find in the fridge. But scared she don't control and finish all the food in the fridge

2. Let her ta bao lunch everyday? If that's the case, how much $$ do you give the maid? eg. give her $5 and let her keep the change etc?


Comments and tips please? TIA

My maid will cook her own meals if we are not home. I do not restrict what stuff she can use or cannot use. No issues, she tend to finish up leftovers or cook very simple meals for herself. Did tell her when she started with us that she is free to help herself to any of the food we have, but within reason. Most important is she has to eat proper meals and I expect her meals to be reasonably healthy. Not all instant noodles and deep fried stuff.

Some of my friends have separate containers in the fridge where they put stuff that their maids can use to cook for their meals.

[jasmineong]

Do you all let your helpers use their handphones, I do but I have some friends who told me I should not and they will get into more trouble if they use and also they want to keep smsing and are not focused on work. But I feel that the helpers are also human and it is quite cruel to take their only means of contact with their family. Anyone has any input? I recently changed my helper and my friends rushed to advise me not to let her use her handphone.

[hquek]

Myanbamboo:

This way, I think a win-win and fair solution is achieved in which we could satisfy the communications and socializing needs of the maids while protecting out interests and upholding our authority as an employer.

Agree with what you say, except that in real life, it seems based on from many who shared in forums/friends who shared with me that once fdw has hp, she will spend more and more time - chatting to dunno who (i mean in the sense of wonderment that there are people with whom they can chat the whole day like nonid to work) or going online to find friends.

If the fdw can control, i don't think the employer will complain nor stop the use. It's only when she can't then there is an issue. Trust has to be earned but unfortunately, FDWs like to demand the trust before they can earn it.

So easy to say transfer the fdw or send her home. The associated costs le? The fact that replacement will need time to come in - something which working mums do not have the luxury of having?

Most employers will just end up hands in the air and live with imperfections unless the actions become too much (like taking employer's money to finance their hp habits...i have heard of at least 3 different employers who experienced just that).

[Funz]

jasmineong:

Do you all let your helpers use their handphones, I do but I have some friends who told me I should not and they will get into more trouble if they use and also they want to keep smsing and are not focused on work. But I feel that the helpers are also human and it is quite cruel to take their only means of contact with their family. Anyone has any input? I recently changed my helper and my friends rushed to advise me not to let her use her handphone.

Gauge for yourself.

My maid has a handphone. No issues. She uses it only at night after her chores are done. When I hired her I told her I have no problems with her using her phone so long as her work is done to my satisfaction. If she does not know how to manage her own time, I will manage it for her. I don't like to work like that and I am sure she will not like it also. So lets all play our part and everyone will be happy.

[hquek]

jasmineong:

Do you all let your helpers use their handphones, I do but I have some friends who told me I should not and they will get into more trouble if they use and also they want to keep smsing and are not focused on work. But I feel that the helpers are also human and it is quite cruel to take their only means of contact with their family. Anyone has any input? I recently changed my helper and my friends rushed to advise me not to let her use her handphone.

Not all helpers with handphones will resort to hankypanky, but since she is new and both are not familiar with each other, I would humbly suggest to set the ground rules with her and agree after probation of say 3 months, she may have a phone subject to....

If both parties are in agreement, helps clear the air. It helps when the helper is sincere about earning money for her family; but sometimes they may lose their way.

Once a privilege is given, it becomes a right. But treat your helper with respect and I'm sure she'll likely return in kind.

If she is the cannot make it type (CHOY), no handphone also she will resort to something.

BTW, my past helpers never did have handphone (ok, last one had but she kept it secret so I pretended not to know...she used only when she is free) but I allowed them to use the housephone to make calls via calling cards to their families at home. Despite agency telling me otherwise, usually I will make them call home (this one on my expense) the first few days they arrive at my place so their families are aware.

[jacsplace]

Most, if not all, maids arrive in Singapore with handphones and want to start using them straight away. Can understand if they want to keep in touch with family - so would I if I am in their shoes. But wish they would understand that they are here to work, not to constantly use handphone.


Even with agreements on when they should use their handphones, maids will still go ahead and use when they think no one is looking or listening. Ultimately, it depends on the maid’s attitude. And ultimately it depends on employer’s tolerance level.

[Coolkidsrock2]

I buy phone cards for my maids to use. I never specify the frequency or duration of each call and will replenish once it is used up.


My maids told me that their phones are confiscated by the agent at the training centre so they arrive without phone.

[Coolkidsrock2]

Mary Ann:

hquek:

[quote=\"Myanbamboo\"]This way, I think a win-win and fair solution is achieved in which we could satisfy the communications and socializing needs of the maids while protecting out interests and upholding our authority as an employer.

Agree with what you say, except that in real life, it seems based on from many who shared in forums/friends who shared with me that once fdw has hp, she will spend more and more time - chatting to dunno who (i mean in the sense of wonderment that there are people with whom they can chat the whole day like nonid to work) or going online to find friends.

If the fdw can control, i don't think the employer will complain nor stop the use. It's only when she can't then there is an issue. Trust has to be earned but unfortunately, FDWs like to demand the trust before they can earn it.

So easy to say transfer the fdw or send her home. The associated costs le? The fact that replacement will need time to come in - something which working mums do not have the luxury of having?

Most employers will just end up hands in the air and live with imperfections unless the actions become too much (like taking employer's money to finance their hp habits...i have heard of at least 3 different employers who experienced just that).

Agreed with both Myanbamboo & hquek.

Employers are now at the mercy of ill-disciplined & irreponsible maids from all nationlities , Filipino , Indonesian , Myanmar...

My aunty ( who used to be a nurse in the Phillipines) and was married to Singaporean 30 years ago recalled that the older Filipino maids who came to Singapore 30 years ago working as maids did not give severe problems to Singapore employers. Many of them worked for the same family for many years.

Employers then gave one off day was considered \"Good employer\". Filipino maids had to queue-up to use public phone at the void deck of employer's HDB flat or nearby shop or asked for permission after finsing work at night to use employer's home phone for 5 minutes to 10 minutes to call their Philippines familiy members or friends working here. They mostly wrote letters to communicate with the Philppines families and only expect reply 2 months later. There wasn't foreign workers sourcing for girl friends who are maids. If at all, there were Filipino mem of higher qualifications working as professionals here and maids and such mem who got serious with each other ended up being husbands and wives even with employer's knowledge. Peaceful.. cordial relationship were seen between employers and maids.

Times have changed; handphones, facebooking available,.... law was made for compulsory weekly rest day..foreigner young men from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar , Thailand, Sabah.. all over Singapore and are in need of a girl friend after one week's hard work at their construction site , shipyards , factories. Budget hotel mushrooming every where making it very conveneient for both the foreign young men to take their gril friends to take a good rest together at hotel 81 and Fragance hotel...and MOM says so long as maid are not pregnant..its ok ?

These are the problems with mandatory weekly rest day faced by Hongkong employers who are already immute for long.. Singapore is just begining to follow HongKongers' footsteps and making adjustments with pains and frustrations..If we cannot take it , we will have to resort to employing part-time maids or completely doing away with maids..[/quote]I agree with you totally. My maid just told me, after returning from an extended home leave that she would like to try working in another place and if she cannot make it, she can either ask for a transfer or go home. :stompfeet:

[pirated]

The FDW is no longer a help to SG families. They are a problem.