All About Full-Time Maids

[minnie2004]

catang:

more den 4 yrs ago, cant recall which one but an agent from nation or best home (i took maids from these 2 agencies) told me the salary from hk/tw is higher cos maid dun stay wif the employer. they pay for their own lodging.


true not i duno

that's not the case, unless they're not domestic helpers. in hk, the maids also live with the employers and due to limited space there, very often they don't have their own rooms or have to sleep in very small cubicles without windows. i've only heard of some very rare cases where the the employer rents a flat for his 2 maids b/c he wants more privacy. the maids go to his house to work from 6am-9pm .

[janet88]

minnie2004:

catang:

more den 4 yrs ago, cant recall which one but an agent from nation or best home (i took maids from these 2 agencies) told me the salary from hk/tw is higher cos maid dun stay wif the employer. they pay for their own lodging.


true not i duno

that's not the case, unless they're not domestic helpers. in hk, the maids also live with the employers and due to limited space there, very often they don't have their own rooms or have to sleep in very small cubicles without windows. i've only heard of some very rare cases where the the employer rents a flat for his 2 maids b/c he wants more privacy. the maids go to his house to work from 6am-9pm .

My friend in HKG had a stay-in maid...slept in her store room. Don't have to pay levy, not responsible if they get pregnant, no replacement...but insurance and agent fees very high.

[Andaiz]

janet_lee88:

minnie2004:

[quote=\"catang\"]more den 4 yrs ago, cant recall which one but an agent from nation or best home (i took maids from these 2 agencies) told me the salary from hk/tw is higher cos maid dun stay wif the employer. they pay for their own lodging.


true not i duno

that's not the case, unless they're not domestic helpers. in hk, the maids also live with the employers and due to limited space there, very often they don't have their own rooms or have to sleep in very small cubicles without windows. i've only heard of some very rare cases where the the employer rents a flat for his 2 maids b/c he wants more privacy. the maids go to his house to work from 6am-9pm .

My friend in HKG had a stay-in maid...slept in her store room. Don't have to pay levy, not responsible if they get pregnant, no replacement...but insurance and agent fees very high.[/quote]Insurance is for the employer and partly for maid. Right now we are paying levy, putting the maid up and putting up with the maid Hidden costs that the maid doesn't see!

[Andaiz]

)Sorry I don't have time to look through the thread so please forgive me if I'm duplicating posts...


My helper's mum has passed away. She said that her family members have sent an sms to neighbours' maid's mobile :roll: :roll: :!: instead of the home phone or my numbers.

She wants to go back to see her one last time and also to sort out childminding stuff for her only child (mother sole guardian of kid and my maid is a single mother).

Although it is very inconvenient - especially now that CNY is round the corner, I've agreed to let her go back and sort things out.

Is there anything I need to look out for, mummy's on this thread?

Thanks in advance!

[hquek]

Andaiz:

)Sorry I don't have time to look through the thread so please forgive me if I'm duplicating posts...


My helper's mum has passed away. She said that her family members have sent an sms to neighbours' maid's mobile :roll: :roll: :!: instead of the home phone or my numbers.

She wants to go back to see her one last time and also to sort out childminding stuff for her only child (mother sole guardian of kid and my maid is a single mother).

Although it is very inconvenient - especially now that CNY is round the corner, I've agreed to let her go back and sort things out.

Is there anything I need to look out for, mummy's on this thread?

Thanks in advance!

Sorry to be very cynical - timing is very good hor.

But on the practical side.
1. is she coming back? If yes, then I suggest to retain $500 (if she has bank account, best becos anything less than that, she will incur bank charges). If not, then say bye bye.
2. remember to make sure your valuables are safe on the day she's leaving.
3. is she fili or indo? Indo no issue - no paperwork to be prefilled. Just get airtickets and as long as her passport and wp valid, she can still come back. (BTW, she need to bring her wp with her). If fili, I suggest you query about coming back - my colleague had to pay for paperwork for her fili to go on home leave.

If she's reluctant to leave anything behind in SG, personal items and some money, I will really have my doubts on her intention. Again, my apologies if this is real - and my condolences on her bereavement.

[Andaiz]

hquek:

Sorry to be very cynical - timing is very good hor. .

Don't apologize, hquek...yes, timing can't be Zun-er!

Regarding your questions:
1. is she coming back? If yes, then I suggest to retain $500 (if she has bank account, best becos anything less than that, she will incur bank charges). If not, then say bye bye.
Answer: She says yes now. But to sort out her kid's childcare needs etc, I have concerns over that....plus once she is bad, her mediocre performance sure to drop with them bugging her for money etc...as it is, her remittence home is addressed to her cousin, not sister


2. remember to make sure your valuables are safe on the day she's leaving.
Answer: Think will need to start being vigilent now.
:idea:

3. is she fili or indo? Indo no issue - no paperwork to be prefilled. Just get airtickets and as long as her passport and wp valid, she can still come back. (BTW, she need to bring her wp with her). If fili, I suggest you query about coming back - my colleague had to pay for paperwork for her fili to go on home leave.

Answer: fili. Checked with Agent - SGD 280 for \"home leave\" paperwork else she can't leave Manila. MOM doesn't do temp cancellation of the WP so that's a no-go.

hquek:

If she's reluctant to leave anything behind in SG, personal items and some money, I will really have my doubts on her intention. .

Thanks for the tip. DH says we should go down to the agency and pick a new maid to safeguard ourselves. Earliest would be mid-March.

Great inconvenience for a FTWM like me with 3 young kids....what to do?

[jtoh]

I hate to sound cynical but I’d do what hquek suggested. It’s getting harder and harder to trust maids bec they all teach each other little tricks on how to deceive the employers. And some maids are more easily influenced than others.


The thing about retaining their money to ensure they come back is that you’ll meet a lot of protests because they say their family needs the money urgently.

I really don’t understand the mentality of some of these maids. If they want to go home, just tell us and go home. Why leave us hanging while we process their return documentation. Costs quite a bit too.

[hquek]

jtoh:

I hate to sound cynical but I'd do what hquek suggested. It's getting harder and harder to trust maids bec they all teach each other little tricks on how to deceive the employers. And some maids are more easily influenced than others.


The thing about retaining their money to ensure they come back is that you'll meet a lot of protests because they say their family needs the money urgently.

I really don't understand the mentality of some of these maids. If they want to go home, just tell us and go home. Why leave us hanging while we process their return documentation. Costs quite a bit too.

I think we're all with the expectation that most such maids are not telling the truth. I would totally hate if she tell me she come back - go through all the paperwork and buy return ticket; only to know it's all lies.

I usually get the maid to open bank account once they have the min sum. Don't like to keep money at home. But if they are the breadwinner type, I think it's much more difficult.

[peapot]

Actually, I think this salary increment is imposed by Indonesian side. So, I don’t think MOM can do much.


I remember at one time, Indonesia also has this sand ban to Singapore and alot of construction in Singapore were hit badly by this ban. What did Singaporean do? They look into alternative building. Instead of using bricks which requires sand, they use prefab concrete panels. So, the construction industry still survive.

And then, you had water issue with Malaysia. What happen? Singaporean turn to alternative, in comes Newater.

So, I guess its the same with maids. We must and will think of something. We have bright sparks in Singapore. We just need to churn our brain and see what kind of alternative we can come up with, rather than wait and being hold ransom.

[hquek]

peapot:

Actually, I think this salary increment is imposed by Indonesian side. So, I don't think MOM can do much.


I remember at one time, Indonesia also has this sand ban to Singapore and alot of construction in Singapore were hit badly by this ban. What did Singaporean do? They look into alternative building. Instead of using bricks which requires sand, they use prefab concrete panels. So, the construction industry still survive.

And then, you had water issue with Malaysia. What happen? Singaporean turn to alternative, in comes Newater.

So, I guess its the same with maids. We must and will think of something. We have bright sparks in Singapore. We just need to churn our brain and see what kind of alternative we can come up with, rather than wait and being hold ransom.

:goodpost: True. Although again, in SOME cases, having a maid is a must rather than a good to have - esp when they do not have good family support or if there are those in the family that needs constant care (think elderly/very sick folks). Not all of us are able to afford quitting our jobs and stay at home to take care.

I would say if Indo maids cost more and are not performing to standard. Fine, let's go for helpers from other countries. If the Indo feel they are underpaid considering the skills they have, I strongly suggest they direct the whole load ONLY to HK or TW.