All About Full-Time Maids

[micollh]

transferred money for maid jst now using Western Union, they gave me a card which i can reuse for next maid, FOC the card. the charges for 2k and above is $35 . 1k is $12, so i have to transfer twice to save the service charge. Just for ur info.

[hquek]

If maid want to leave, I think we have to let her. What’s the point of suing? she got not much money with her, and keeping her is even worse. There are vindictive types out there - what if she adds things into your food/water, what if she can’t think straight and do stuff that all will regret?


I can only say that the BIL will probably regret screaming at the maid when he gets a really lousy one.

[jtoh]

The contract provides for early termination by both the employer and the maid, so there’s no basis for suing. It’s just like with us and our employer, so long as we give reasonable notice, there’s no grounds for legal recourse.


Anyway, if the bil were to pursue he would be at the losing end because he would have to pay lawyer’s fees. The maid can just run away to HOME and sit pretty. She doesn’t have to fork out a cent.

These days maids aren’t that silly to believe our empty threats.

[winniel_tlh]

yunzz:

hihi! i am new here. in a very diffcult situation. hope to get some advice.


my indo maid has been working for me for 10months and suddenly wanted to go back after she got her first full pay of $340. she says she can feel that something had happened to her elder son and she wants to go back immediately. i let her go back for 1 week. i called her in indo and asked her whether her son in fine and if she still wants to come back. she say her son is fine and she still wans to come home, so i bought a return ticket for to come back this morning. this morning she called me and say need to pay airport tax of sgd50, if not they dun let them take plane.
i say i will remit to her. then she say it's sgd150.
so i remit to her but she cannot make it for her plane, so i bought a new air ticket for her. i have been trying to call her hp but it's always engaged.

anyone knows about this $150 airport tax from jakarta?

Hello, I'm Indonesian Chinese residing in Singapore. The airport tax frm Jakarta is Rp150,000 which is about S$20

Did you hear wrongly abt the currency? Cus, it makes a LOT of difference

[winniel_tlh]

@yunzz: unless she’s referring to "fiscal" which could be around 2 million rupiah now (S$200++) , for leaving the country, if we dont have a permanent address in Singapore.


The govmt rule there has been on the verge of abolishing this for a while, but not sure if it’s really off already or not.

However, I’m not too sure abt the rules for domestic worker returning here after a trip back to Indonesia.

Letting your maid go back in the midst of your contract is indeed a tricky situation, & really depends on how well is your relationship with you, how much you trust her to keep her word etc.

Indonesian maids tend to be a "yes-man" person, without really meaning it, or thinking abt it fully b4 committing. And if they regret it, they may simply change their minds easily, as they are probably not trained to know that their word is "gold" (yi nuo qian jing).

[Admummy]

Is it a good idea to let the new maid \"attach\" to my existing maid coz i only managed to get air ticket for existing maid to fly back to Java after the new maid arrives...i was thinking the existing maid can provided sort of orientation and buddying to the new maid and i could save the trouble to re-train the new maid plus there will be no language barrier......what are your views? Thks in advance!!

[bicky]

Thanks for all your advice!!


Yes, how I wish he get one lousy maid to vomit blood. He won’t appreciate the current cos this is the first time they got a maid & is such a good one (feel is good cos never have one before to compare). My sis can rest ‘100 heart’ to the maid. Anyway, my sis has a triplet. Can you imagine 1 maid & my mum only, they need to jargle with 3 babies? How tidious for these 2 person? The maid has very good memory for each baby- their milk time, poo poo, meals. Beside taking of the babies, she still need to help out with the household except cooking. That’s why my sis feels that she is so lucky to have such good helper. Anyway, the maid gets along very well with my family esp my mum.

Ya lah, my bil brain block ba!!! I think he must be thinking all maids are like that. So no big deal if the current one leaving. Now, the problem is the maid don’t want to work for him. She don’t mind to work for us (cos my sis doesn’t stay with my
mum). So she thought of leaving but my sis refuse to let her go off.

Anyway, to cut the story short, we didn’t want this to end up so unhappily. Since maid also can resign then thing will be easier to handle. Thanks all !

[hquek]

Admummy:

Is it a good idea to let the new maid \"attach\" to my existing maid coz i only managed to get air ticket for existing maid to fly back to Java after the new maid arrives...i was thinking the existing maid can provided sort of orientation and buddying to the new maid and i could save the trouble to re-train the new maid plus there will be no language barrier......what are your views? Thks in advance!!

I have person to jaga maid so I don't intend to let the 2 meet. But if training is really impt, and your old maid is leaving on happy grounds, and/or your current maid is a trusthworthy and nice sort of person, then it may be a risk worth taking.

Reasons for not meeting:
1. old maid could teach new maid negative things. I heard of stories where the new maid get acquainted with bf of existing maid...so the relationship continue.
2. I would wonder if the new maid may be sad at seeing the old maid go home (ie increase homesickness) - brain start to wander etc (I have very fertile imagination).

[hquek]

hi bicky,


Good that you manage to retain a good maid (even if your sis didn’t). it’s very strange becos usually the grandma or mum are the ones to find fault with the maid - for a man to be so picky…sigh. I pity your sis becos she’ll have more to deal with if she doesn’t get another good maid.

[bicky]

hquek:

hi bicky,


Good that you manage to retain a good maid (even if your sis didn't). it's very strange becos usually the grandma or mum are the ones to find fault with the maid - for a man to be so picky...sigh. I pity your sis becos she'll have more to deal with if she doesn't get another good maid.

Hi hquek,

Yes, keeping the maid is also a back up plan. In case the new maid cannot handle, we have the current one to assist. Ya lor, usually maids will have problem with their Mdm or ah mah. Maybe my mum witness how much she has done for the babies & appreciate her. Likewise, the maid also appreciate my mum for her understanding & care.