All About Full-Time Maids

[tamarind]

arisz,

My advise to you is to buy an air ticket and send her back ASAP.

MOM states that employer must pay for the air ticket. You have no choice but to do so. Even if you make a police report that your maid steals from you, in the end you still must buy the air ticket to send her home.

Click here to see MOM rules.
http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/work_pass/foreign_domestic_workers/employers__guidelines/Termination_of_Services__Repatriation_and_Security_Bond.html

It is very troublesome to report to the police. The maid may turn around and accuse you of abusing her. Once she does this, you are in deep trouble. Most people, including the judge, are very likely to believe that the employer abuse the maid. Then you may be banned from employing another maid until you are proven to be not guilty, which may take forever.

This is a common tactic used by Filipino maids. I have experienced it first hand myself. So just send her away ASAP.

Then like JHJC say, update in my blog. You can also try to email MOM and ask them to blacklist the maid, because you suspect her to be stealing. MOM may or may not decide to blacklist her.

I have seen many cases like this. Some cases are even worst than yours.

The truth is that employer's in Singapore has no rights. If we want to employ maids, we must be prepared to lose money in the unfortunate event of getting a bad maid.

[tamarind]

ChiefKiasu:

I can well understand the stress. Maybe there should be a faq for owning maids. What should one do when one's maid run away? Call MOM to report? Or the police?

I wrote a short section about what happens if the maid runs away somewhere here in my blog :

http://singaporemaid.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-manage-maid.html

It is part of an FAQ of how to manage a maid.

[JHJC]

Agreed, no point go MOM, no point call police. Sadly, all these are going to be additional cost. DO not even think of AEAS (one of the worst organisation around)! Just go to budget air, ticket less than $300. Send her back immediately.

[arisz]

My ran away maid most probably have stolen my sil’s extra sim card and make calls back to phillipines before she ran off. Anyway it is either she stole and gave her friends or she used it herself. But then we were still thinking how she used it for herself since she has no hp. Most calls were made in the morning around 7+am.


Anyway, juz found out today coz my sil check her hp bill then realise that her extra sim card is missing and the bill got calls to phillipines.

Never-ending problem. We are thinking of making police report …but don’t know useful or not. Do you all think I should make police report or just sent her home straight away. But like that is like letting a thief go scott free. I’m so pissed!

[cookiecreature]

Hi Tamarind, need an advise from you though my problem is very small.


My maid is less than two month old, I send her to my baby sister house in the morning to learn how to take care of kids cos she has no experience.

She told my baby sitter today that i scold her because she give honey to the kids w/out asking me. This morning I already noticed that her unhappy face that and called my babysitter beforehand to watch out for her behavour …

My maid told my baby sitter abt me scolding her (which I did not scold her, I just tell her like normal conversation)… So, my baby sitter explain to her that my girl is sensitive to many foods and that madam is telling you not scolding you.

After an hour later, heard that the maid told my girl "don’t do that otherwise, you will complain to your mummy and I will get scolded again".

From here I reckon that she is a very petty person. I will be moving soon and kids will be under her care from 5pm to 8pm before we are home…
I need someone who is not so prideful and will take instruction w/out holding grudges… I don’t want to be in the mercy of the maid because of my kids…

I intend to sit down with her tonight to tell her that if she cannot hold her pride as a maid, i will ask her to choose another employer… what do you think?

[tamarind]

cookiecreature,

Your maid does seem to be a very petty person. But then as employers we must point out the maid’s mistake whenever necessary. You can try to observer her further, and try to speak to her in a very cool and calm tone when you point out her mistakes. If she is really that sensitive, then instead of telling her, write her a message. Then she cannot accuse you of scolding her.

I advise employers never to raise their voice at the maid. The reason is that the maid may hate you and who knows what she will do behind your back.

I think when you talk to her, you should not ask her to choose another employer. Some maids can get very upset when they hear this. I got one ex-maid who went crazy when I told her this. There is no need to tell a maid if you intend to send her away. Just arrange everything quietly and inform her the day she is supposed to go.

[cookiecreature]

Okay thanks for your prompt advise.

I will do that tonight. Thanks alot!

[Admummy]

My maid is gg back to Java for 2 wks leave before returning to Singapore to renew another 2 yrs contract with me. This is the first time she going back since aug 2007. I am really worried that she will get pregnant when she return. I ever consulted a GP during my maid’s 6mthly checkup about my concern. GP advice was to prescribe birth control pills for her (2 mths only)…i am in dilemma now…on one hand, i feel like proceeding with it on the other hand, i feel not ethical to do so…my main concern is that it so happen that it’s her fertile period during that period…i really dun want her to get preggy, so far i have already renewed her passport, work permit and even bought insurance for her…besides I need her back since i am expecting now…advise anyone pls?

[jedamum]

hi admummy,

pls post all about maids http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=903&start=0.
TQ

[buds hubs]

arisz:

Never-ending problem. We are thinking of making police report ....but don't know useful or not. Do you all think I should make police report or just sent her home straight away. But like that is like letting a thief go scott free. I'm so pissed!

Hi, this is just my suggestion for you to consider:

If you decide not to lodge a police report,
there are two things which can happen.

1) Maid gets sent back to the agent and
you get a replacement maid. The agency
then transfers the old one to another unlucky
employer. Chances are, she might repeat the
same thing again and the poor employer will
suffer the same fate.

2) Maid get sent back to home country..
buys new identity and comes back to SG
using a new name/passport number.
Back to square one.

If you decide to make a police report,
the maid would be arrested and subjected
to investigations. At the end of the investigations,
the police would provide their findings to the
state prosecutors for considerations and two
things can happen:.

1) If the offence is a prima-facie case
(eg; insufficient evidence, minimal loss or
restitutions have been made) then chances
are the maid would be given a warning.
However, she would then be repatriated and
barred from coming back to SG.

2) If it is a strong case (eg. availability of
evidence, high amount of loss incurred, criminal
acts were done over several occasions), there is
a high chance the maid could be prosecuted for
the said offence. After serving sentence, she would
then be repatriated and barred from coming to SG.

In both scenarios, If she does try to come back to SG
using another identity and applies for employment,
she would have committed an immigration offence and
is liable for prosecutions as the authorities have her records.

Although most employers are very kind and do not
wish to go through the hassle of making reports against
the maids, perhaps you should weigh your options before
making a decision.

Cheers!! :celebrate: