All About Full-Time Maids
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starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2094626\" time=\"1673313384\" user_id=\"14025:
The paperwork at the various depts at Philippines Embassy for home leave can be extremely troublesome and difficult for some (which is why some of us end up doing the renewals via an agent). Do check with your employment contract and/or agencies on who is responsible for bearing the costs. Apart from the verified contract from the embassy, she also needs to get the OEC from POEA. All these take a lot of time and require specific appointment slots.
Helper from P has yet to confirm if she wants to return for home leave.
If she returns, she said she has to go to the embassy to pay some taxes too. Is employer responsible for this bill?
My view on if Helper returns for home leave (mine is 15 days):
1) i will pay for return airfare (usually is Manila but she would like Clarke International; I don't know if there are flights from Spore to Clarke)
2) I am not planning to pay 15 days of leave in cash
3) if she returns home say 1 Ocr to 15 Oct, then I will pay salary from 16 Oct.
4) Depending on how much the airfare, if not too expensive, I may help out a bit on the taxes she needs to pay to her govt.
I will explain to Helper that during her absence, I will need to source for a nursing home or care facility to look after my dad until she returns. I don't know how much and the procedure of application too.
My helper went back for 3 weeks in Nov to Dec period. -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2094632\" time=\"1673315831\" user_id=\"13281:
Thanks for sharing.
The paperwork at the various depts at Philippines Embassy for home leave can be extremely troublesome and difficult for some (which is why some of us end up doing the renewals via an agent). Do check with your employment contract and/or agencies on who is responsible for bearing the costs. Apart from the verified contract from the embassy, she also needs to get the OEC from POEA. All these take a lot of time and require specific appointment slots.
My helper went back for 3 weeks in Nov to Dec period.
Ours is DIY contract ie the current is a 2nd contract. She is in the 4th year with us.
In your case, besides paying for the return airfare, did you pay the salary for those 3 wks when she was not with you ie if she left for her home on 1 Nov and returned on 21 Nov, for her Nov salary, did you pay salary for 1 to 30 Nov?
Thank you. -
starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2094637\" time=\"1673320738\" user_id=\"14025:
Mine too, was a DIY contract. She has finished 6 years with us, and is on her 7th currently. The rules have changed dramatically since the earlier years, when home leave entailed far less paperwork and I had NEVER engaged an agent before, until this time round. Also in part because my helper had problems with the POEA online system due to multiple people sharing her same names.
Thanks for sharing.
Ours is DIY contract ie the current is a 2nd contract. She is in the 4th year with us.
In your case, besides paying for the return airfare, did you pay the salary for those 3 wks when she was not with you ie if she left for her home on 1 Nov and returned on 21 Nov, for her Nov salary, did you pay salary for 1 to 30 Nov?
Thank you.
I did pay her salary from 1 to 21 Nov though I am not sure if I am obligated to or not. But I think our way of managing helpers is not the conventional way in Singapore. Perhaps because we have lived overseas before with kids without helpers, that we realize the great relief and help that helpers bring. From 16 years ago, all my helpers (2 to date, 1st one was with us for 10 years and it is our second helper now) had every Sunday off and we had always paid them bonuses, and they all have unlimited access to wifi and handphone. We are perhaps a bit more 'ang moh' in helper management. That said, my helper's salary is not considered high considering her number of years of work experience. I also always take transfer maids - my current one was working for an employer who did not give her enough to eat so she is super appreciative of us as she has free access to the fridge and pantry at my place. (In fact, the helper is the one who put on most weight and is the biggest size of us all in the family haha). -
doodbug
May I ask how much did you pay to engage an agent to settle the paperwork related to Home Trip, pls?
Mine put on much weight and I even teased her to watch her weight bec whatever my dad eats, she eats. She is just part of the family. We treat her well to hope that she will treat my dad well bec they live under the same roof.
Having said that, I need to budget on how much to spend if she returns home.
Ok, noted that besides paying for return airfare, it may be better to pay her salary for the 15 days despite she isnt in Spore.
I am more worried about the "taxes" she has to pay for returning home. -
starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2094643\" time=\"1673324185\" user_id=\"14025:
Hi Starlight,
doodbug
May I ask how much did you pay to engage an agent to settle the paperwork related to Home Trip, pls?
Mine put on much weight and I even teased her to watch her weight bec whatever my dad eats, she eats. She is just part of the family. We treat her well to hope that she will treat my dad well bec they live under the same roof.
Having said that, I need to budget on how much to spend if she returns home.
Ok, noted that besides paying for return airfare, it may be better to pay her salary for the 15 days despite she isnt in Spore.
I am more worried about the \"taxes\" she has to pay for returning home.
Do check with Dan Services (danservices.com) on the breakdown of all the charges that are involved, including the agency fee, to sort out the paperwork. I believe it is $4xx inclusive of all the charges levied by the Philippines bodies - the charges are to obtain the documentation for maid to exit the country to return to Singapore to work - there are no charges levied on them to go home. So if your maid is returning to Philippines permanently, there is no charge and no paperwork. It's the documents that are required for her to be allowed to exit to return to Singapore to work that is problematic. I engaged Dan Services halfway cos my maid had sorted out half the documentation when we attempted to DIY (so it was about $290 for me), and the other half, she just could not. My sister's maid managed to sort out her documentation entirely DIY (it will involve multiple trips to the Embassy). So it really depends whether you and your maid can navigate the system smoothly to obtain the Verified Contract and the OEC and the POLO registrations and what not. -
Doodbug
Thank you so much for sharing. I will take it about $500 to settle the paperwork to exit and return spore.
Airfares may be about $500.
Plus paying the 15 days of wages even when helper not in spore.
I even hv to source for a care facility for my dad when helper isn't in spore.
The total is astronomical
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starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2094646\" time=\"1673327199\" user_id=\"14025:
If the maid decides to quit or change employer, I think the costs even more astronomical. Not to mention the whole adjustment to a new maid.
Doodbug
Thank you so much for sharing. I will take it about $500 to settle the paperwork to exit and return spore.
Airfares may be about $500.
Plus paying the 15 days of wages even when helper not in spore.
I even hv to source for a care facility for my dad when helper isn't in spore.
The total is astronomical
Do check your contract if you need to pay the 15 days of wages, possibly not necessary to. (I believe MOM does not require us to, but I am not sure if MOM requires us to pay for the paperwork to exit and return to Singapore.) And if it isn't, couch it as a bonus that you are giving her something if at all. Or structure it in a way that she will receive the bulk of it when she returns. (I dislike getting caught offguard with maids not returning to Singapore.) -
There is a general supply shortage of helpers now - some employers had to wait for months to get a replacement maid. I am not fussy, if need be, I’d take a transfer maid to start ASAP.
I lived without a maid when mine went on home leave and I have to say, while my life or house did not collapse, I learn to appreciate I do not enjoy doing most chores! -
starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2094626\" time=\"1673313384\" user_id=\"14025:
Objectively speaking :
Helper from P has yet to confirm if she wants to return for home leave.
If she returns, she said she has to go to the embassy to pay some taxes too. Is employer responsible for this bill?
My view on if Helper returns for home leave (mine is 15 days):
1) i will pay for return airfare (usually is Manila but she would like Clarke International; I don't know if there are flights from Spore to Clarke)
2) I am not planning to pay 15 days of leave in cash
3) if she returns home say 1 Ocr to 15 Oct, then I will pay salary from 16 Oct.
4) Depending on how much the airfare, if not too expensive, I may help out a bit on the taxes she needs to pay to her govt.
I will explain to Helper that during her absence, I will need to source for a nursing home or care facility to look after my dad until she returns. I don't know how much and the procedure of application too.
1. MOM requires employers to repatriate FDW to homecountry, tho not specific if nec to hometown. I believe they wld be flexible so long as not repatriate out of homecountry.
My 1st Indo helper was our precious family member & several times when she goes on homeleave, we go along with her request not to go thro Jakarta but Jogjakarta bcoz she’ll face more pressures to ‘pay’ her way out of the airport & might even be ‘robbed’.
However, one of our replacement Indo who contacted me for a transfer opportunity, came to us via Batam after she asked her eyer to send her back to Batam. When her previous eyer lodge a police report for theft of her hubbies cash, she had alr converted into gold jewelry & police had no choice but record details after search & I quickly get airtics to repatriate her for the distrust i cld not shake off. As her homecountry specify she’s fr Solo, I specifically sent her back to SOLO despite her plea for Batam. I did not want to make it easy for her to return to possibly affect ano Sporean family. That’s just my choice & decision.
2. When FDW goes on homeleave, they’re not working & hence do not get paid. Similarly, MOM will not charge the respective portion of levy on employers for the same period. Many SG eyer’s misread it as having to pay salary as paid leave. However, it does not stop eyer’s to extend kind gifting. My take wld be to agree with the helper that amt be paid on their return is one way to give meaning to this portion of “paid leave”. If the helper does not return, the ant paid becomes just a gift & not “paid leave” as was intended. Just a suggestion to manage our own expectations or subsequent disappointment.
4. Taxes shld be an individual’s responsibility to their govt. I do not see the necessity for a foreigner eyer to pay other’s responsibilities of taxes.
Do bear in mind when helper meet on their off-days, they brag & compare their Eyers & packages. I’ve had frds giving helpers yearly airfares & “paid leaves” inclusive. Then it affected my helpers who look at us as misers & “not good eyers” cheating them of their entitlements. I’ve one KSP member who shared his Agency actually issued the 1st contract with public holidays & Yearly homeleave when he employed his 1st P helper. He was a 1st time eyer & just sign the papers & paid accordingly till his helper asked for her 1st public holiday outing. Turns out the manager at the agency is P origin.
Please consider all extra pymts be clearly communicated as ex-gratia so they’re clear it’s not a contractual obligation, so as not to add burdens to other families managing tight expenses for elderly or young children. We’ve always give extras only at the end of a contract & clearly state it as a blessing & if they want they can use it for whatever or however they want (buy gifts for family, pay taxes, start bz back home, etc).
We really need to help our FDW manage their finances. Many views Singaporeans as rich & rich enuf to keep lynching if they can.
I’ll ensure I help FDW start a POSB bank acct so I can Giro her salary & all payments (during covid converted airfare, agreed pymt for work on off-days) so there’s no dispute of any withholding of salary or legitimate pymts due to my FDW. I’ll pay bonuses for completion of contract & good work as an appreciation of her attitude & consistency of good work.
Just sharing my perspectives. -
Thank you, Estéema 🙏
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