All About Full-Time Maids

[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:

[ChiefKiasu]

buds hubs:

... If the offence is a prima-facie case

(eg; insufficient evidence, minimal loss or
restitutions have been made) ...

Ooh... do we now have a lawyer on board too? :love:

[buds hubs]

ChiefKiasu:

buds hubs:

... If the offence is a prima-facie case

(eg; insufficient evidence, minimal loss or
restitutions have been made) ...

Ooh... do we now have a lawyer on board too? :love:

Wah Chief, so fast got respond ah??

You can just regard me as your friendly KSP parent
cum cyberspace consultant..

[buds hubs]

Admummy:

.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?

Hi, I understand your dilemma and I also agree
that it is not ethical to so call \"force\" your maid to
consume the birth control pills. If she does make a
complaint, you may end up getting in trouble with
the authorities, depending on the type of allegations
levelled against you. :nunchuk:

Even if your maid agrees to take the pills voluntarily,
there is no guarantee that she would consume them
as prescribed during your absence or the 2 weeks
\"honeymoon\" period in Java.

Since you have already renewed her passport/ work
permit & insurance, I suggest that you have a talk with
your maid prior to her departure and \"STRESS\" to her
on the importance of her employment in SG. You could
probably remind her of the consequences if she does get
pregnant while working here and how it would affect her
family in Java if she gets sent back home.

If you have a good working relationship with your maid,
you may want to let her know of your plight and how you
value her services to you and your family thus far.

In my opinion, there is no fail-proof way of ensuring that
she doesn't get pregnant. It all boils down to mutual trust
and a weeeee bit of luck. . I suggest you pray hard
that \"IT\" doesnt happen... Hope this helps.

Cheers! :celebrate:

[tamarind]

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?

Please remember that the maid is your employee, she is only working for you because you pay her salary every month. We should treat our maid in the same way as we are treated by our employers. Do our employers make us take birth control pills ?

The maid is an individual, a human being with her own rights. It is important to treat her with respect and dignity. She is not our relative working for us for free. We have no right to decide her future for her. The maid is also not a stupid village girl who will just take in whatever you do to her. She knows her rights, and she will feel resentful against you. Remember that even if the maid is not pregnant, she can always choose not to work for you and find a new employer. How are you going to stop her ? I have heard of maids who asked to change employer right after the baby was born, because the maid found it too tiring to take care of a baby.

Employing a maid is always a gamble. We never know what is going to happen. If she does get pregnant, you can immediately send her back, and you will not lose your security bond. Then get a new maid. I know that you will lose money if you change maid, but that is no choice. If you want to employ a maid, you must be prepared to lose money, unless you are very lucky. I have sent back a maid(she asked to leave) when I was pregnant with my second baby, and my first baby was less than 1 year old. So I know how tough it is. But there is no choice.

A maid can get pregnant even in Singapore, she can easily find a boyfriend here. Are we going to make all maids take birth control pills ?

My advise is, like I wrote above, treat the maid in the same way as we are treated by our employers. An employee comes and goes. We also cannot expect a maid to work for us forever.

[Admummy]

buds hubs:

Admummy:

.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?

Hi, I understand your dilemma and I also agree
that it is not ethical to so call \"force\" your maid to
consume the birth control pills. If she does make a
complaint, you may end up getting in trouble with
the authorities, depending on the type of allegations
levelled against you. :nunchuk:

Even if your maid agrees to take the pills voluntarily,
there is no guarantee that she would consume them
as prescribed during your absence or the 2 weeks
\"honeymoon\" period in Java.

Since you have already renewed her passport/ work
permit & insurance, I suggest that you have a talk with
your maid prior to her departure and \"STRESS\" to her
on the importance of her employment in SG. You could
probably remind her of the consequences if she does get
pregnant while working here and how it would affect her
family in Java if she gets sent back home.

If you have a good working relationship with your maid,
you may want to let her know of your plight and how you
value her services to you and your family thus far.

In my opinion, there is no fail-proof way of ensuring that
she doesn't get pregnant. It all boils down to mutual trust
and a weeeee bit of luck. . I suggest you pray hard
that \"IT\" doesnt happen... Hope this helps.

Cheers! :celebrate:

Buds Hubs / Tamarind,
I have very good working relationship with this maid...she has helped to take care of my son since he was abt 6 mths old and she treated him like her own son..she was very protective over him to the extend that when we wanted to discipline him, she would try to stop us...so i really don't bear to lose her.....We had a talk before i renewed her permit, passport and insurance, she said she needs to earn more money for her family in Java so she would like to continue the contract with me...At that point, i've reminded her about the importance of not getting preggy, etc. She fully understood...but accident could happen....trust me, i've never habor the thought of control pills until the GP gave the suggestion! Now come to think of it, how could he suggested something like this....I fully agree with Tamarind that we should respect the rights of the maid....that is why something inside me told me it's not right....but i guess the selfish part in me \"blinded\" me....I feel so relieved now that i've brought this out in this KiasuParent forum coz u gals/guys have knocked some sense into me...I guess if i \"blur blur\" and go ahead with the pills anything happen, i would live in guilt forever!!! I am clear now, i guess I have to trust her and if she really strike the jackpot, i just got to let her go and get a replacement...thks again for spending time to enlighten me on this issue...I really appreaciate it!!

[rocklee]

Hi Admummy


Two years ago, I faced the same problem as you. Back then, I had a filipino maid who worked for me for 4 years. She was well-liked by my family, even my relatives and friends. My children were very attached to her too. I gave her one month home leave and before she went back, I had repeatedly stressed the importance of not getting herself pregnant while on leave. I had also explained the consequences to her. I even told her to take precautions as I knew she had a boyfriend back home. Despite all these reminders, she came back and a few weeks later, she was pregnant. She told me she got married during her leave. I guessed, being newly wed, they were just to "excited". I was extremely upset at the news. She told me she took precaution BUT only after the act was committed! So what can I say!? While I had to arrange to send her back, I stopped her from doing all the heavy household chores, just in case she might get miscarriage. I wouldn’t want to feel guilty for the rest of my life, you know. Anger aside, I still gave her some money cos I knew life would be hard for her and I appreciated her service for the past 4 years. After this drama, I had to go through the recruitment exercise and training all over again. Life just gotto move on, ya.

So I guess, as employers, if we had explained all the consequences to them, we would have done our part. The rest is really up to them. I believe, the maids should be mature enough to know what is more important to them. So GOOD LUCK!

[tamarind]

[quote]I fully agree with Tamarind that we should respect the rights of the maid....that is why something inside me told me it's not right....but i guess the selfish part in me \"blinded\" me....I feel so relieved now that i've brought this out in this KiasuParent forum coz u gals/guys have knocked some sense into me...I guess if i \"blur blur\" and go ahead with the pills anything happen, i would live in guilt forever!!![/quote]
Admummy,
When I was reading your first post, I do feel that you know it is not right But as mommies we will tend to do the best to protect our own interest, that is very natural.

Anyway, if your maid really wants to work for you, don't worry. Maids have a way to make sure that they don't get pregnant. My ex Indonesian maid told me that they can take an injection or something to stop them from getting pregnant. I have even heard of maids who took something to stop having menses ! So don't worry, maids nowadays are smarter than we think.

[quote]if we had explained all the consequences to them, we would have done our part. [/quote]rocklee,
I totally agree with you