All About Full-Time Maids

[kiasu mummy]

Hi,


My current maid does not want to renew her contract with us so need any adv on good agency or agent to recommend; who can adv or screen the criterior of the helper that suit our needs.

Thanks.

[tigger88]

nms1:

OK - one more comment then I'll shut up before you all start to hate me


Is there really any necessity for you to do housework on her day off? Surely the house doesn't need cleaning if she is doing it on other days? All you need to do is cook and/or buy food and tidy up any major mess that the children make.

My husband doesn't officially work weekends but if we are at home he is often working (or watching TV) so I'm pretty much on my own.

nms1, dun worry, we wont hate you just because we share different views.

Like what SMH Forest mentioned, every family composition is different. I am also very hands on on weekends and spend as much time with my kids as I can. But I also need my maid to help look after the kids once in a while when I need to shower, go toilet or run some errands. My DH can help too but my youngest one is very clingy to me and maid.

When we go out on weekends for gathering with friends or attend some birthday parties, sometimes we leave my maid at home and bring all my kids with us. Maid can rest at home while we spend time with kids outside.

[hquek]

Just curious, so far my maids were more focused on earning money than taking rest days. So with new ruling (whatever it is), I’ll have to force her to take her rest day? How? Shoo her out of the door even if she dunwan? No way am I going to pay her $50 for ONE day, I rather she take her rest day.


And, for those new maids, they are not likely to have much money with them. So on their rest day, who’s going to pay for their transport, meals and spending outside? Collect from MOM?

[nms1]

hquek:

Just curious, so far my maids were more focused on earning money than taking rest days. So with new ruling (whatever it is), I'll have to force her to take her rest day? How? Shoo her out of the door even if she dunwan? No way am I going to pay her $50 for ONE day, I rather she take her rest day.


And, for those new maids, they are not likely to have much money with them. So on their rest day, who's going to pay for their transport, meals and spending outside? Collect from MOM?

From what I understand there will still be the option to pay them in lieu of the off-days but I think it was proposed to be $25-50 per month not per day. I think the challenge for the authorities would be to regulate those employers who force their maids to work the off-days even when they don't want to. After all it is these employers that any new rule would be targetting anyway.

The reason my current maid transferred was that her employer promised her off-days and it was in her contract but she rarely go them. She only wanted 2 days/month but she wasn't getting it. Luckily for her she had paid off her loan and was able to move.

[lizuan76]

Hquek, i pay my maid her transport during her off day. Let her use my EZ card, so we can check where she go during her off day. The rest,like meals and spending she has to use her allowance to pay.

[hquek]

lizuan76:

Hquek, i pay my maid her transport during her off day. Let her use my EZ card, so we can check where she go during her off day. The rest,like meals and spending she has to use her allowance to pay.

Sorry, do you mean to say you give her an allowance? on top of her pay?

I'm just being imaginative here. But for those who're new, they may only get say, $60 a month. meals outside cost a bomb, not to mention places of interest etc. Imagine, 2nd week in SG, where is she going to finance her rest day? I HAVE seen with my eyes a FDW paying for phone card with coins (she had a sack). I can either think her employer was really mean to pay her in coins, or think badly.

In any case, if my maid tells me she wants a day off, I'll tell her no problems. I'm lucky in that she spends most of the day alone in the house on weekends also, don't think she'll be missed much during that time.

[hquek]

nms1:

From what I understand there will still be the option to pay them in lieu of the off-days but I think it was proposed to be $25-50 per month not per day. I think the challenge for the authorities would be to regulate those employers who force their maids to work the off-days even when they don't want to. After all it is these employers that any new rule would be targetting anyway.

Actually I find all this talk about legislating very puzzling. I thought that already it's in their contracts they must have day off and we will pay them $x if they don't take it? I'm paying mine extra becos she doesn't want a day off, so not quite sure if there is any impact on me.

[sunflower22]

Dear mummies,


Anyone has a good indo transfer maid whom you do not need
anymore? I’m looking for one as my current one is getting problematic
and attitude…,i have a 7-yr old boy n 11-yr old girl; basically easy to manage.
More importantly is honest and able to cook.

Thank you so much.

[Angelight]

What if the maids go and work part-time for other households or do other sidelines on their day off? Then it would defeat the purpose of giving them the day off right, cos they won’t be resting at all?

[hquek]

Angelight:

What if the maids go and work part-time for other households or do other sidelines on their day off? Then it would defeat the purpose of giving them the day off right, cos they won't be resting at all?

well, if they kena caught, employers will have to repatriate them. I would say those pp who knowingly employ such workers to clean their house part time should also be brought to justice. I've seen notices pasted on walls in a condo estate looking for part time cleaners (likelihood by angmohs somemore) - I can only imagine they must be eyeing some restless maid who has got too much time on her hands.