All About Full-Time Maids

[chatelaine]

Hi Joeyz18


Alamak, she forgot she put the clothes out to dry huh?
Then ask her to handwash it after the rain, she will sure remember :love:

My granny always complain about the maid. After the maid left, then my mum got to know how stress my 80+ granny was. Granny said she has to watch her work la, this and that. Somemore, the maid dare to talk back to my granny such as \"Why you keep watching me work?\" We don't even talk back to our granny, she being the most senior at home :love:

Joeyz18:

Chatelaine,
my mil was complaining the new maid rude and scare ppl( like sudden appear behind with no sound!) so i called up agent, then agent spoke to her lor. after start to be more polite like greeting people. at one time, so piss off that wanted changed her cso i think she damn rude, but agent said sometimes myanmar maid are like that cos they are quiet.

she ate big bowl of rice, now getting sick of bread but likes ice-cream. oh, and when rains, she still continue happily do the housework w/o bringing in the clothes!

[hquek]

hi marmum,


I think you either clear your house of abrasive materials or change maid. If she spoil the floor, it’s going to cost you more than her loan.

I’ve never had the guts to try fili maids - so far both times indonesian. I got those with working experience (but NOT SG). So far ok. my fren tried ex-MYS indo - also can.

Yes, I’m sure they act blur although they know what’s going on.

My agent always tell me to get those with some education, and some work experience in JKT/elsewhere (I chose non SG).

[chatelaine]

Hi hquek


Same here, I also choose Indo maid with some education and has no work experience except Jakarta. Those with work experience outside
Indonesia are usually smart alex and will try to do funny things. :!:

[janet88]

chatelaine:

Hi hquek


Same here, I also choose Indo maid with some education and has no work experience except Jakarta. Those with work experience outside
Indonesia are usually smart alex and will try to do funny things. :!:

I still prefer Indon maids over Filipino ones...Filipino work attitude sucks and they think they are more superior...alamak, be it Indon or Filipino, they are also doing the same thing :stupid:

[mummymaid]

Hope more people get their misfortune posted in the papers so that MOM know there are really employers who need assistance and protection.


Maybe better for those with evidence to upload on STOMP?
Happened to talk to parents who told me they caught their maid on video ill-treating their child. It was shown on CCTV the maid purposely stick out her leg to make their tot fall on hard floor.


TODAY on-line, Voices
Does Manpower Ministry require due diligence from maid agencies?Letter from Ruth Wong
Nov 22, 2010

MY helper, who came to work with my family a week ago, suddenly left our home without a word and returned about three hours later, saying that she had gone out to meet her friends. We were appalled by her irresponsible behaviour.

We called the maid agency to inform them that she was missing and also searched for her. In the process, I discovered a name card in her wallet and suspected it belonged to her former employer (she had worked in Singapore and left a few months ago).

I decided to call her former employer and asked if our maid might have gone to her place.

She was surprised to learn that her former maid was working for me.

I was shocked to learn that the maid had been sent home before the end of her two-year contract because she had stolen money from her former employer's family. They did not file a police report as they did not want to ruin the maid's future. Instead, they sent her back to Indonesia.

We decided to immediately send our maid back to the agency.

We could not risk having a dishonest helper in the family.

We had already intended, a few days earlier, to send the maid back as we found her to have a poor attitude. Her work performance was also below our expectations despite the fact that she had worked as a domestic helper in Singapore and Indonesia. But the agency advised us to keep her until we found a new one.

I have a small baby and an elderly mother to look after, and this incident has left us feeling stressed. We hope the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) can help to address our concerns.

Firstly, does MOM require maid agencies to perform due diligence and confirm the maids' information reflected in their bio-data?

In our case, it wasn't just the bio-data of our new maid that was inaccurate. When we went to the agency to hire a replacement and conducted a phone interview with a prospective maid, we found out that she had not worked here for two years, as was stated in her bio-data.

She had only worked here for seven months before being sent back to Indonesia. How could the agency provide us with the wrong information twice?

Can the MOM make it at least compulsory for maid agencies to verify the period maids have worked here?

Maids who do not complete their two-year contract should be investigated by agencies further.

In addition, what avenue is there for employers to seek legal recourse where the maid agency's professionalism is found wanting, to the point that it causes employers unnecessary stress and inconvenience?

When we told the head of the maid agency that we did not want the maid to be sent here to work again (to protect other families from suffering the same fate that we and her ex-employer did), the agency's head said there was no way she could stop the recruiter from marketing the maid to another agency.

Can the MOM can put a stop to this? What regulations does it have to protect employers from malpractice and unprofessional maid agencies?

Finally, when we sent the maid back to the agency, she was visibly happy and showed no sign of remorse.

It is critical that domestic helpers are closely monitored. Perhaps MOM could set up a registry for domestic helpers like that for real estate agents.

[chatelaine]

Hi mummymaid


Sad to hear what you have encountered. We can only hope maid agency to be truthful to us.

Usually those Indo maid age reported will be older as it seemed to be.

My ex-maid is very afraid of her agency. When we sent her back to the agency for questioning, she answered in a soft tone kind of shivering.

Before that, my hubby questioned her. She wasn't even scared nor cried. Even made request to call home to check with her dad whether to go back home or continue working in SG.

We never give her the chance to call home, afraid she will be up to some mischief.

[KSmom8]

mummymaid:

She wants to feel she's in command in my house but I refused. I got real mad one day n told her, 'bear in mind, I'm yr employer and I pay u yr salary'. She repeatedly disregards my instructions = no respect yet complained I dont respect her


Hubby said I was harshed I no choice what!

I also tahan my previous Fili maid for over 2 years...when I became a SAHM. I also told her that \"I am your employer and I pay your salary so I have a right to tell you how to do it right in my home.\" Obviously she disregards my instructions, has no respect for me, has no basic manners (she never says good morning or good night or sorry).. her only saving grace is that she is a fast worker, so both my hubby and mum liked her. Unfortunately, they didn't see the sloppy work and didn't have to bear with the attitude. My hubby also said that I was harsh with her and my mum also thought that I should have chosen my words more carefully. :shock:
When she was near to completing 4 years working for us, her black face showed more frequently and even my mum and hubby saw it. Finally when I insisted that I did not want to keep her anymore, no one tried to dissuade me.
The day that my maid left, my elder child was so happy and my younger child did not even kick up a fuss. After my new Indo maid arrived, my mum actually remarked that the kids were happier, never mind that the new maid was slower.
My regrets were not sacking my previous maid earlier and actually agreeing to a transfer for her to another employer. However, I am glad that in her last weeks with me, I made it clear that she had to do her job well and show good attitude, otherwise I would not hesitate to send her back to the Phillipines. I told her that under the law, I am only obliged to buy an airticket home for her and I need not agree to a transfer. I also highlighted that an airticket to the Philippines is so cheap and not necessary more expensive than the levy that I would have to pay whilst she is looking for a new employer at the agency.

So to cut a long story short, I think that you should give send your maid back to her home country. It's simpler easier and less stressful. Since she is with you for over 1 year, her loan should be paid and I think that you are under no obligation to return her to the agent, but check your agency agreement to be sure. Why agree to her request for a transfer? You will be paying her levy whilst she is looking for an employer at the agency! An airticket is so cheap nowadays... as for excess luggage I don't think it is the employer's oblligation to pay... afterall she came to Singapore with a small bag didn't she?

[janet88]

KSmom8:

mummymaid:

She wants to feel she's in command in my house but I refused. I got real mad one day n told her, 'bear in mind, I'm yr employer and I pay u yr salary'. She repeatedly disregards my instructions = no respect yet complained I dont respect her

I also tahan my previous Fili maid for over 2 years...when I became a SAHM. When she was near to completing 4 years working for us, her black face showed more frequently and even my mum and hubby saw it. Finally when I insisted that I did not want to keep her anymore, no one tried to dissuade me.

So to cut a long story short, I think that you should give send your maid back to her home country. It's simpler easier and less stressful. Since she is with you for over 1 year, her loan should be paid and I think that you are under no obligation to return her to the agent, but check your agency agreement to be sure. Why agree to her request for a transfer? You will be paying her levy whilst she is looking for an employer at the agency! An airticket is so cheap nowadays... as for excess luggage I don't think it is the employer's oblligation to pay... afterall she came to Singapore with a small bag didn't she?

I agree with you...maids think they can ask for transfer when they are not happy...Filipinos are damn good at this. If the maid has no outstanding debt, has a bad working attitude, it's best to send her back home. There is no reason to agree to her request for a transfer.
She is sitting comfortably at the agency searching for her 'dream' employer while we employers are paying levy for her NOT doing anything. Send her home.

Indon maids may be slower but that's better than having to put up with a sickening black face...we don't owe these maids anything.

[marmum]

Dear Mums with indo maids. Pls advise me if its better to employ married or single? What about the age, should I get young ones or older ones? I have 2 kids 4 & 6 and day time they go to in-laws place. I have a few interested candidates on hand. The 23 & 24 ones are either single or marrried and have 2 yrs exp in Jakarta and one 30 who hv exp looking after elderly in Arab for 2 yrs (she is also married with 2 grown up kids like 8,11 & 12 yrs old). Pls advise me which I should select.


MTIA, marmum

[janet88]

marmum:

Dear Mums with indo maids. Pls advise me if its better to employ married or single? What about the age, should I get young ones or older ones? I have 2 kids 4 & 6 and day time they go to in-laws place. I have a few interested candidates on hand. The 23 & 24 ones are either single or marrried and have 2 yrs exp in Jakarta and one 30 who hv exp looking after elderly in Arab for 2 yrs (she is also married with 2 grown up kids like 8,11 & 12 yrs old). Pls advise me which I should select.


MTIA, marmum

I would have a problem choosing one too...but ultimately it still boils down to luck. A single or married one would have no problems adjusting to young kids depending on whether they want to (or not).
However, you mentioned a maid who has exp in Arab with grown up kids and ever looked after elderly...that's not a bad choice either. It's best to shortlist first...easier to make a decision from there. Sorry if what I mentioned is not of much help.