All About Full-Time Maids
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ashana:
That's what I tried. Fancy getting in all the underaged maids to create havoc. I don't blame the teenage maids cos what can we expect from teenagers running our households? Haha..
No one knows what happens behind closed doors. Because of this.. \"Just send her home if you are not happy\" it immediately places employer in a very disadvantaged position even if you have a FDW who is a devil from hell. Regardless what damages employer claimed the FDW has caused, everyone you talk to will advise \"just send her home if you are not happy...\". I can't help to agreed too although it sounds very sarcastic. That is why most authorities turn a deaf ear to employer's complains and like what you said, if you want to fight the case, you have to really exhaust your means (time and money). Come to think of it, if I have the means, I'll direct the arrow to the agency and make sure the agency learned the lessons painfully. :evil:
But the agencies are hard to get. It's btw you and them. They have probably gone through the mill once or twice and know some really high handed tricks and are more slippery that eels.
I somehow ended up suspecting that there are some really big shots behind some agencies. I thought my evidence should be incriminating enough. But no. So much so that MOM cannot touch.
If you want to get at the agencies, You definitely need to litigate. No other way. To do so,
(a) you need to have a strong case
(b) you need to have lots of time and money
Strong case must be grounded on sheer negligence/non action/clear cut dishonesty on the part of the agency that has resulted in
(a) suffering of your family members: mental suffering, physical injury like broken arms and legs, etc..
(b) your work performance being affected due to problems at home eg; got warning from boss
(c) you have lost a lot of money -
(d) you and your family's safety security has been threatenened
If can't get them & teach them a hard lesson, then create problems for them lor... Go to small claims tribunals (cheap way, less headache but must wait) and just claim small damages from them or let them get a warning from MOM.
There are agencies who has their licenses struck off or just merely not renewed for a year of two because they have been taken to task. Thus MOM has no choice but to strike them off the register. -
anyhowsay1:
Oh dear..these are extreme cases. None of the employers want such things to happen to their household. Touch wood! Employer should quickly get rid of the helper before serious damage occurs. Knock on wood again!
If you want to get at the agencies, You definitely need to litigate. No other way. To do so,
(a) you need to have a strong case
(b) you need to have lots of time and money
Strong case must be grounded on sheer negligence/non action/clear cut dishonesty on the part of the agency that has resulted in
(a) suffering of your family members: mental suffering, physical injury like broken arms and legs, etc..
(b) your work performance being affected due to problems at home eg; got warning from boss
(c) you have lost a lot of money -
(d) you and your family's safety security has been threatenenedanyhowsay1:
Yes yes yes, create problems for them. I could be wrong but this is more workable for me. Bite on agency tail like a mad dog if they said something like All our FDWs are very well trained in .... etc etc. All our FDWs can communicate effectively...etc Don't want off days, Don't want hand phones.. etc But you hired a helper who is completely opposite of what they claimed. Yet, you have to pay a price for their dishonesty.
If can't get them & teach them a hard lesson, then create problems for them lor... Go to small claims tribunals (cheap way, less headache but must wait) and just claim small damages from them or let them get a warning from MOM.
There are agencies who has their licenses struck off or just merely not renewed for a year of two because they have been taken to task. Thus MOM has no choice but to strike them off the register.
Write and provide honest reviews about the agency and the quality of the helper to MOM, your friends, colleagues and relatives. Let MOM do lots of paperwork until the file is thick and heavy enough to break a tile. Hopefully, they will do something to push the entry of level higher for agency. It is only a matter of time the dishonest agencies will be out of business. Even if they aren't out of business, we can't let such unethical agencies to get bigger mah. :stompfeet: -
anyhowsay1:
I am not lawyer ah! My birdbrain is telling me employer will always be at a disadvantage because they have the power and convenience to hire and dismiss the helper. The more evidence you have gathered, the more disadvantage your position will be because you are still hiring the problematic helper despite what she has done and what you have experienced. because \"Just send her off if you are not happy...\" whereas by continue to hire the helper, it simply shows the damage is not serious enough in their perspective. :roll:
I somehow ended up suspecting that there are some really big shots behind some agencies. I thought my evidence should be incriminating enough. But no. So much so that MOM cannot touch. -
Re: All About Full-Time Maids
by zbear » Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:34 am
I can see that everyone is having a lot of frustrations with MOM. I know becos my late mum also had similar probs with MOM.
Is it possible to escalate complaint to the senior officers or even threaten to bring up to the Minister of MOM? New cabinet lineup not announced yet so don’t know who is the Minister.
Top
It is possible to escalate cos it’s v easy to find the higher-up names and emails in e govt online directory. However we realised that it becomes left hand dunno what right hand is doing? One MOM officer already emailed us a formal reply sent to us yet refuse to reply e outcome in e email and took away e minister’s email. (We have e letter that said our appeal is unsucessful but just testing how e MOM officer would reply & he pushed back to our court ask us to confirm if we received it and still refusing to reply e results) And suddenly another MOM generic email emailed us that MOM is looking into our appeal! How ironic! -
I think MOM should stop transfers and make it compulsory for ex sin maid to have reference letters with direct employer’s contact.
MOM won’t do this unless the voice from the local public is strong enough, loud enough, insistent enough for policies to be changed. Go through MPs.
Definitely agree with u both. However, how to make our voices strong enough? We actually went to ?? Website before, think she tempted to keep records of bad agencies and bad FDWs on her personal blog at her own time. But she is just one voice & we recall that she has to be hush hush about this cos e activists voices seems a lot louder?! -
We just heard that HOME is also a FDW agency themselves? Who can verify this? And if yes, is this right?
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CP169:
I think MOM should stop transfers and make it compulsory for ex sin maid to have reference letters with direct employer's contact.
MOM won't do this unless the voice from the local public is strong enough, loud enough, insistent enough for policies to be changed. Go through MPs.
Definitely agree with u both. However, how to make our voices strong enough? We actually went to ?? Website before, think she tempted to keep records of bad agencies and bad FDWs on her personal blog at her own time. But she is just one voice & we recall that she has to be hush hush about this cos e activists voices seems a lot louder?!
How about someone write a letter of complaint n add signatures (just like the new JC location case - I remembered a parent from this forum writing a strong letter n collected signatures to protest).
A single voice is not powerful, unity is more effective. -
CP169:
We just heard that HOME is also a FDW agency themselves? Who can verify this? And if yes, is this right?
I wouldn't be surprised....they do help them find employement.
Did you know that while the maid is waiting at embassy etc..while investigations are going on, she can still work if someone is willing to employ her? When my relative spoke to this guy from MOM about canceling the maid's work permit, she asked if the maid can find another job, the guy reply yes.
If only MOM stop maid transfers, they will try their best to do a good job to keep their job instead of being so picky and do funny business to choose employers. -
If the maid can’t work for someone else during the investigation period, she is considered to be still under the employment of that employer who needs to continue paying for her food, lodging and levy?
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12mum:
If the maid can't work for someone else during the investigation period, she is considered to be still under the employment of that employer who needs to continue paying for her food, lodging and levy?
The maid cannot work for someone else while under investigation. This is what MOM says. But we know now, saying is one thing. Actually enforcing it is another.
Employer can & should cancel the work permit immediately when the maid starts to act up and throw accusations at you. Timing is important. Apply to MOM STRAIGHT-AWAY to cancel the work permit, say you don't want the maid anymore, regardless of the outcome of the investigation cos she gave you problems etc...before anything else blows up further in your face. MOM cannot say NO or STOP YOU. Remember, we employers have the prerogative to employ and to sack as we wish. So use this POWER to your advantage. Sever the connection, save your money.
Always remember, the maid has a group of supporters/advisors working tirelessly behind the scenes on her behalf, to plan her next move against you the employer.
The investigation officer will then apply for a special permit for the maid to remain in Singapore for the duration of investigation. If you DON'T CANCEL MAID WORK PERMIT, then you have to be responsible for lodgings, food, levy so on and so forth. Any costs at all as the person is STILL LEGALLY YOUR MAID.
HOW TO DO IT?
You just cancel the work permit online and show MOM the computer printout. Better you do it and not the agent. However, below are the things you must pay for compulsorily, work permit or no work permit:
(1) repatriation costs
(2) last salary
(3) if the maid died, then any costs associated with sending the body back to the homeland.
Anything that is not stated online (RULES AND REGULATIONS) , don't pay. Anything not stated in the contract, don't pay. As far as the law is concerned, your obligations must be discharged if only it is a stated rule and regulation of MOM or if it is stated in black and white on the employment contract what you must pay for the maid during the PERIOD OF ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
However, employment contract usually never say what is the employer's obligations in situations like INVESTIGATION PERIOD AND WHEN MAID IS OFFICIALLY NOT YOUR MAID AND WP IS CANCELLED. Never say in black and white, don't pay lah.
If the maid is given back to the agency, the agency housed her, fed her, but probably secretly make the maid do work to EARN HER KEEP and maintenance. Same for HOME i supposed.
Else where to find money to feed the person especially if the person has to remain for 6 months during investigation and is a big eater?
MORAL OF THE STORY: Read your employment contract line by line. Know what you are signing for. Don't sign your life/money away.
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