All About Full-Time Maids

[smurfy]

hquek mentioned correctly… usual agreements is fly them back to their city of origin…


the law does not indicate what kinda airlines… and the luggage space…

these maids usually will wanna the best for themselves … so testing out with u… go take out ur agreement and know your own rights…

my maid oso pattern a lot…

the first time she went back donkey years ago… I bought her Cebu pacific (their budget airlines) and she need to transit in manila before reaching her city… that time I bought 10kg luaggage space for her… she came back… she complained no food, no water… transit time long and weird hours…

then I start buying silkair… (COZ I desperately need her to come back whahhahaa). which flies direct to her hometown… since then no complains… super happy, got food, got 30k luaggage space…

these ppl always try to push their luck…

[smurfy]

let me lament a little of my high class maid.. these ppl know their rights in our country more than we do..


1) she complained about going to grandma's house and helps do the housework there, while my mum looks after my baby.. - solved.. in the end, she stayed at home, homealone with my kids.

2) a few times we asked her to help out to clean my pil's place during cny and pay her some extra cash.... she complained the house very dirty and prefers not to go... solved.. no more asking her to go over..

3) we usually asked my in laws (the siblings inclusive coz not married) to our house for dinners on Saturdays as it would be a chance to meet up and talk .. and ask her to cook.. she complained too much cooking on Saturdays and usual employers dun have that kind of practice .. solved.. we stopped asking my inlaws to come over and instead we go over to their place on sundays..

4) she has weekly offs.. we used to get her to cook a maraconi soup and put in the thermal pot in the morning before she goes out so that my kids can have that soup for dinner.. she complained says other maids dun have to do anything at all on their off days.. solved.. I stopped asking her to cook on sunday morning.

in addition, she has a room of her own.. and my hb never ask her to wash the car before.. so we are very law abiding employers right? but I oso pattern with her and our r/s soured to pure employer / employee r/s ... sucky r/s.. but I needed her to clean up the house and cook.. and she need the money.. and so, it went onz for a couple of years...

1) in the past, I will let her go church on good Fridays, Christmas <- the law does not indicate we have to let them off a few hours to do their religious stuffs.

2) when she needs extra money, we will loan it to her first.. in amounts of 1-2 months salary in advance.. <- now she never dares raise this kind of request, if she does, I will tell her the law never indicate we can loan her money...

3) when she renewed her contract recently, I never increase her salary.. why? the law never indicates we need to increase salary every two years (she is drawing the required... $550) :rahrah:

[hquek]

smurfy,


Feel for you but one thing I felt is so true from your experience. We have no choice but to keep the helper happy cos if they don’t, they can chut a lot of patterns. But they tend to forget, if they make employers happy, employers can also make them happy.

As long as when the helper depart, you feel at ease with the world. If one does well, I am most happy to give extra money. And I usually tell them upfront and remind them of this from time to time. If the helper is terrible, frankly, I will give them what is due to them, not 1 cent more.

To all, Just be careful when any helper departs. My friend told me hers cleaned out her gold jewellery when she left (not the cake story, that one probably urban myth). She didn’t realize cos she didn’t check on her jewellery often, now still heartpain cos of the sentimental value although years have passed.

My second maid took off with some vintage toys. We checked her bag when she left but she probably took those toys long before she left (and passed to a neighbour’s helper to send back). Kids were playing with those toys when she was around but we kept it in storeroom for a while before she left; after she left, we couldn’t find those toys.

[smurfy]

hquek:

smurfy,


Feel for you but one thing I felt is so true from your experience. We have no choice but to keep the helper happy cos if they don't, they can chut a lot of patterns. But they tend to forget, if they make employers happy, employers can also make them happy.

As long as when the helper depart, you feel at ease with the world. If one does well, I am most happy to give extra money. And I usually tell them upfront and remind them of this from time to time. If the helper is terrible, frankly, I will give them what is due to them, not 1 cent more. .

It was a sad vicious cycle that went on a couple of years. I needed her and she needed me. This is the 8th year she is in my household. But twist of fate here. Recently she went for her medical checkup and told e doc there is a lump in her breast. Instead of sending her home immediately and leaving her in lingo. We immediately arrange for her to see a breast specialist at our own cost the next day. Luckily non cancerous. But she is going back to remove the lump. And I also never sabo her and arrange a flight with transit hahahaha. So now she realize I am not the mean person she thought me to be and her attitude changed totally. But all' s too late. Hahaha. Yes I have a clear conscience. Was popping over the life without maid thread and saw this thread....

Lalalalaa super stressed and grouchy these few days. Maid less soon :gloomy:

[hquek]

smurfy:

It was a sad vicious cycle that went on a couple of years. I needed her and she needed me. This is the 8th year she is in my household. But twist of fate here. Recently she went for her medical checkup and told e doc there is a lump in her breast. Instead of sending her home immediately and leaving her in lingo. We immediately arrange for her to see a breast specialist at our own cost the next day. Luckily non cancerous. But she is going back to remove the lump. And I also never sabo her and arrange a flight with transit hahahaha. So now she realize I am not the mean person she thought me to be and her attitude changed totally. But all' s too late. Hahaha. Yes I have a clear conscience. Was popping over the life without maid thread and saw this thread....


Lalalalaa super stressed and grouchy these few days. Maid less soon :gloomy:

8 years....anyway, you both got what you needed from this arrangement. My first stayed for 5 years and I felt her attitude got progressively worse. But I was lucky that I didn't have to change every 3 months or every year. And I felt super lucky that she was the thrifty sort who never requested for off days and she was very worried about her name/virtue (advantages of getting a pious helper).

Whenever they leave, I wish them well and hope they never ever have to part from their family (mine were all unmarried when they were with me, this is what they tell me la) esp their future kids. Glad yours didn't have cancer, hope she has saved enough after all these years in your household to achieve some financial independence when they are back.

[smurfy]

I had done what is required and far more than what I shld be doing. At least the chapter ends nicely and my kids do understand she is going back for medical treatment instead of due to our quarrels.


Imagine that evening she can say things like she dun understand why an ultrasound in sg is so expensive and removal of lump is a few K. She told me that she can remove it it for $100 or is it $1k and get all things done in a day at her home country. Felt like taken for a ride at that moment. Did she just forget how she cried the previous day so worried it might be cancerous and what will happened to her son ?



Anyway back to the point. The law only states back to her city, u can choose the airlines and luggage weight depending on how u need her and ur r/s w her or what u feel is within ur comfortable zone.

[moonee]

my maids luggage is very heavy, she chose LIOn air. (Indonesia) Am I required to pay for the extra weight on her luggage shes accumulating every month before she leaves. She spends like near 150 dollars on clothes, souvenirs etc after recreiving her salary.

[momoftwo]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right forum for this, but admin, please feel free to delete if not appropriate.


My family is relocating overseas in April/ May I’m looking for transfer my helper of 4.5 years. She is Indonesian, 39 years old, can cook, Muslim but willing to prepare non halal food.

If anyone is interested to find out more please PM me.

Thanks!

[hquek]

moonee:

my maids luggage is very heavy, she chose LIOn air. (Indonesia) Am I required to pay for the extra weight on her luggage shes accumulating every month before she leaves. She spends like near 150 dollars on clothes, souvenirs etc after recreiving her salary.

I heard of helpers who ship their stuff back prior to their return home and think she may want to use that route. Show her the contract and tell her you are only liable to send her home, not her things. I don't think it's reasonable for you to bear extra weight on luggage - she has to be aware how much she can carry and plan accordingly. She's an adult (that's what HOME says), and has to be responsible for her own purchases.

For mine, I would tell them how much luggage they are allowed to check in, know what they can't carry on board (eg batteries not in check in bags, no fluids in carry on). We would let them weigh their bags at home to be sure they didn't exceed, and tell them any extra is on them.

[moonee]

hquek:

moonee:

my maids luggage is very heavy, she chose LIOn air. (Indonesia) Am I required to pay for the extra weight on her luggage shes accumulating every month before she leaves. She spends like near 150 dollars on clothes, souvenirs etc after recreiving her salary.

I heard of helpers who ship their stuff back prior to their return home and think she may want to use that route. Show her the contract and tell her you are only liable to send her home, not her things. I don't think it's reasonable for you to bear extra weight on luggage - she has to be aware how much she can carry and plan accordingly. She's an adult (that's what HOME says), and has to be responsible for her own purchases.

For mine, I would tell them how much luggage they are allowed to check in, know what they can't carry on board (eg batteries not in check in bags, no fluids in carry on). We would let them weigh their bags at home to be sure they didn't exceed, and tell them any extra is on them.

Thanks hquek, I don't think she want to ship back any clothes etc.. just that she keeps buying and her luggage is getting too heavy. I did warn her about the extra charges but she don't seem to mind so ive done my part warning her that she may be overloaded. thanks again for the info