All About Full-Time Maids

[elle_yv.03429hotmail.03429com]

tamarind:

[email protected]:

Hi Tamarind,


Would like to seek your opinion whether should I grant my maids with 2 weeks home leave.

She has been working for me approx. 1 year only. She approach me to request for 2 weeks home leave coming Oct 09, claiming that her daughter birthday & she promise her to go home & celebrate for her.

I have checked with my maid agency, but they advice me not to let her go back since she just work for me about 1 year, cause they encounter many cases that maid went back home town & promise to return after their leave, but at the end did not return back.

I did told my maid that if she wants to go home, she will have to bear for her air ticket since my contract with her end only next year.

How do you think, should I let her home & some peoples tell me that if allow her go home, must hold some of her money?

Is she a good maid ? If she is a very good maid, and she seems very sincere about her request, then you may want to consider to letting her home, provided she pays for her own air ticket. She will not be paid for the days she is gone, and you can tell her that you will pay her the current month salary only when she returns. But bear in mind that what she says about her girl's birthday may not be true, maids can tell lies about anything.

But if her performance is average only, then I don't think you should let her go. She may think that you are very easy going and ask to go home every few months. What the agency said is true, the maid may not return.

I consider her performance slightly above average. Just sometimes a bit of forgetful when assign some task for her, & I think she did not lies as I remember she did mentioned that last day of Oct is her girl birthday.

[quixation]

I am quite unluckily for the past year to have engage such maids…


1. Caught my maid stealing cigarettes and smoking in toilet
2. My maids cash is inconsistent with her story
3. My maid confessed that she goes out of the house when we are not in
4. My maid was caught on the phone once when we went out…
5. She was caught sleeping when we went out for dinner and came back at 9pm but her work was not finished.
6. My Maid never never since day 1 wakes up on time at 6am as instructed. she can wake up at 7 plus or even 8plus…
7. Everytime I gives her like $4 to buy food, she will say no change but actually she kept all the change.

I have video of her confessing to above and even to being under-age.
If i return her to agent, she gets transfered. If i send her back, i forfeit my loan. Should I report? If i report that she is under-age, how will the agent compensate me? They and the maid breached the work permit conditions…

Can someone advise me ?

[winth]

Hi,


May I know for maids (i.e. Mynmar) to go overseas (i.e. Malaysia), do we need to apply any Visas for them?

Cheers.

[ZacK]

We have our helper (our first) for coming to 4mths now, generally no complaints so far, other than the culture issue which given time she Would be able to get used to… She’s industrious as I think she is up by 5am daily to start her chores so that she can tend to Ds2 when he wakes up.


I’m currently waiting at SGH A&E cos an unfortunate accident happened to our helper while she was sleeping. The metal rod holding the curtains to give her pte space in her room fell on her face and left a deep cut above her right eye.

Her face was red with blood and dripping when she came to us for help… Feeling sorry and bad cos this is certainly not one of the experience she shd have while working here under our care… especially so when it’ll leave a scar due to the stitching required … sigh…

Btw anyone know of any good remedy to reduce scarring from deep cuts? Aloe vera gel? TIA

[ChiefKiasu]

ZacK:

... I'm currently waiting at SGH A&E cos an unfortunate accident happened to our helper while she was sleeping. The metal rod holding the curtains to give her pte space in her room fell on her face and left a deep cut above her right eye...

Oh no, ZacK, that is really unfortunate. Let's hope the scar isn't bad or lasting, as that could give her the right to ask for compensation. I wonder what their claims could amount to. Tamarind, do you know?

[Jav]

Sorry… never post anything before in the forum. Testing whether it was ok. Anyway, I am in dilemma whether to let my maid go back to her hometown in Aug? Her permit is expiring on 30 Sept. She has been a very good helper to me, takes care everything A-Z, a good cook & taken good care of my children. She can only work for me till her passport expiring in July next year. My dilemma is if she goes back, not sure whether she will come back to SG & keep her promise secondly, should I renew her permit before letting her go back. Any advice pls?

[ZacK]

ChiefKiasu:

ZacK:

... I'm currently waiting at SGH A&E cos an unfortunate accident happened to our helper while she was sleeping. The metal rod holding the curtains to give her pte space in her room fell on her face and left a deep cut above her right eye...

Oh no, ZacK, that is really unfortunate. Let's hope the scar isn't bad or lasting, as that could give her the right to ask for compensation. I wonder what their claims could amount to. Tamarind, do you know?

Thanks Chief for the concern. Was at A&E till almost 6am today, she had a gash about 3/4 the size of a 10ct coin and estimate that she had between 8-10 stitches done. Face is still partly swollen... So hoping to have a better gauge of how bad the scar would be after the swelling goes down.

Few issues to follow-up:
- Gotta check if the maid insurance covers such accidents;
- If our helper is given MC for 5 days, how do we handle this? Do we have to give her mandatory rest or just light duties?
- The issue of compensation and what is our liability would be an area of concern as well.

Thanks.

[hquek]

hi Jav,


well, she’s been with you for 2 years already and will definitely miss her family back home. Check with her what her intention is. If her mind is set on leaving, I think no point to keep her cos her heart will be faraway.

If she wants to continue, you will have to renew her workpermit prior to her departure; else she may not be able to come back.

If you have renewed, and is worried, you can negotiate to keep like $500 in SG. My ex-maid had a bank account, and I told her she has to keep that amount inside or she will incur monthly bank charge.

[Jav]

I have yet to reach MOE, their phone is always very long queue. I wanted to know how soon I can renew the work permit. I know that in order to renew the work permit, I must have the Maid Insurance to renew as well. Check with the Insurance, they say can only renew 1 mth prior the insurance due date which is Nov 2009. I find that the whole things not matched leh… Was told that the very basic package for insurance is around $180 per year. Is it true?

[ChiefKiasu]

Jav:

I have yet to reach MOE, their phone is always very long queue...

That should be MOM, right? I hope you have not been calling the wrong ministry.