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    Should maids be given a day off every week?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Domestic Help
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    • N Offline
      nms1
      last edited by

      Looking at the press over the last few days the government in under a lot of international pressure to ratify the ILO treaty on migrant workers which would mean the weekly day off having to be written into law.


      I agree with what most people have said, that there needs to be a total review of the MOM regulations and other legal aspects of maid employment before this change should be made. Just as only a minority of maids are being abused, only a minority will get into trouble if given a day off but their employers should not be made to suffer for that. Consulting with the maid agencies alone is not the way to go as they will always protect their interests rather than the interests of the maids and/or the employers.

      If we, as employers, want to change things then I believe we should focus on this, not the argument that people can’t cope without a maid for 1 day a week. That is an argument that will not really stand up for most people especially given that the vast majority of the world’s population survives without any kind of domestic help. If we have children then we have made that choice and we should be looking after them. Don’t argue that you work harder than your maid - of course you do, you are the parent. She is just an employee. If you have elderly/sick relatives to look after then the situation is not of your choice but it is a very small minority who really don’t have anyone who can step in for a few hours on a Sunday to help out.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • NebbermindN Offline
        Nebbermind
        last edited by

        why we’ll never find a solution if it emain status quo?


        coz…

        maid get only small $ but work around the clock.

        employers paid small $ + levy and still fully responsible for the well being of the maid.

        ah gong collect levy and shake leg…

        Who is the ultimate winner??

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • S Offline
          sunflowerseed84
          last edited by

          Nebbermind:
          why we'll never find a solution if it emain status quo?


          coz....

          maid get only small $ but work around the clock.

          employers paid small $ + levy and still fully responsible for the well being of the maid.

          ah gong collect levy and shake leg....

          Who is the ultimate winner??
          :evil: :evil: :evil:

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • bigsnoopyB Offline
            bigsnoopy
            last edited by

            Nebbermind:
            why we'll never find a solution if it emain status quo?


            coz....

            maid get only small $ but work around the clock.

            employers paid small $ + levy and still fully responsible for the well being of the maid.

            ah gong collect levy and shake leg....

            Who is the ultimate winner??
            Haiz.. We all know who. :moneyflies: to you know who.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • 1 Offline
              1amber
              last edited by

              My take is that it depends on the maid. I would love to give maid time off (without govt making it mandatory). Some of my maids have been good and some naughty. And whenever I look at the maids around my condo, I crinch - if only the mothers know what their maids do to their children in their absence. My current maid is only 3 months old. Had wanted to reward her well and give her somepocket money. But after 1 month she has slackened…didn’t think she deserved it after all…

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              • C Offline
                comet7
                last edited by

                There are all sorts of maids around, just like there are all sorts of employers too.


                If a maid uses her off day to relax herself, or to enrich herself by taking up courses, I am sure employers will not be against maids taking a off day. But if a maid hangs around with bad company at lucky plaza, no employer would risk letting the maid take the off day. Have you all seen what some maids do behind takashimaya? They offer massage service for men, do manicure, pedicure for other maids. I have personally witnessed it. I have also seen maids hang around, behave intimately with bangladeshi workers.

                I know they are humans too, and humans are social beings. But when they ‘socialise’, they get influenced, and may pick up bad habits. It is inevitable for them to compare their employers. In fact, I believe all maids do that. However, sometimes, after they have ‘widened’ their knowledge, they will want to seek greener pastures. When they want to go home before the 2 year contract, we have to pay for their air-ticket. Not only that, we suffer the inconvenience of having to train a new maid all over again. The new maid comes, innocent, hardworking and good. Then get influenced by other maids, and the vicious cycle continues.

                I am not saying that all maids are bad. In fact, many are valuable helpers. But it is a fact that the quality of maids coming to S’pore has deteriorated in the past decade. I think before the law is passed, the policy-makers should take a walk behind Takashimaya, to understand why some employers are not willing to give their maids off-days.

                I

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • V Offline
                  verykiasu2010
                  last edited by

                  Nebbermind:
                  why we'll never find a solution if it emain status quo?


                  coz....

                  maid get only small $ but work around the clock.

                  employers paid small $ + levy and still fully responsible for the well being of the maid.

                  ah gong collect levy and shake leg....

                  Who is the ultimate winner??
                  whose maid works round the clock ?

                  please don't talk rubbish

                  if the maid works round the clock, the employer would have been in jail already and they quickly report to Indo Embassy already. You think they are all so stupid ? They are all given Indo embassy number and MOM number to call.

                  Rubbish !

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                  • V Offline
                    verykiasu2010
                    last edited by

                    whether day off or not should be a private arrangement between maid and employer. not every maid wants to go out and waste money


                    if employer abuses the working condition of the maid, throw them into jail

                    who protects employer when the maid abuses the employer household ?

                    all the rules and regulations are staked against employer

                    looks like MOM and Halimah is pushing maid employer to the wall…forcing the dog to jump over the wall

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                    • A Offline
                      Angelight
                      last edited by

                      Comet7, my sentiment exactly! :goodpost:


                      comet7:
                      There are all sorts of maids around, just like there are all sorts of employers too.

                      If a maid uses her off day to relax herself, or to enrich herself by taking up courses, I am sure employers will not be against maids taking a off day. But if a maid hangs around with bad company at lucky plaza, no employer would risk letting the maid take the off day. Have you all seen what some maids do behind takashimaya? They offer massage service for men, do manicure, pedicure for other maids. I have personally witnessed it. I have also seen maids hang around, behave intimately with bangladeshi workers.

                      I know they are humans too, and humans are social beings. But when they 'socialise', they get influenced, and may pick up bad habits. It is inevitable for them to compare their employers. In fact, I believe all maids do that. However, sometimes, after they have 'widened' their knowledge, they will want to seek greener pastures. When they want to go home before the 2 year contract, we have to pay for their air-ticket. Not only that, we suffer the inconvenience of having to train a new maid all over again. The new maid comes, innocent, hardworking and good. Then get influenced by other maids, and the vicious cycle continues.

                      I am not saying that all maids are bad. In fact, many are valuable helpers. But it is a fact that the quality of maids coming to S'pore has deteriorated in the past decade. I think before the law is passed, the policy-makers should take a walk behind Takashimaya, to understand why some employers are not willing to give their maids off-days.

                      I

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • V Offline
                        verykiasu2010
                        last edited by

                        Angelight:
                        Comet7, my sentiment exactly! :goodpost:


                        comet7:

                        There are all sorts of maids around, just like there are all sorts of employers too.

                        If a maid uses her off day to relax herself, or to enrich herself by taking up courses, I am sure employers will not be against maids taking a off day. But if a maid hangs around with bad company at lucky plaza, no employer would risk letting the maid take the off day. Have you all seen what some maids do behind takashimaya? They offer massage service for men, do manicure, pedicure for other maids. I have personally witnessed it. I have also seen maids hang around, behave intimately with bangladeshi workers.

                        I know they are humans too, and humans are social beings. But when they 'socialise', they get influenced, and may pick up bad habits. It is inevitable for them to compare their employers. In fact, I believe all maids do that. However, sometimes, after they have 'widened' their knowledge, they will want to seek greener pastures. When they want to go home before the 2 year contract, we have to pay for their air-ticket. Not only that, we suffer the inconvenience of having to train a new maid all over again. The new maid comes, innocent, hardworking and good. Then get influenced by other maids, and the vicious cycle continues.

                        I am not saying that all maids are bad. In fact, many are valuable helpers. But it is a fact that the quality of maids coming to S'pore has deteriorated in the past decade. I think before the law is passed, the policy-makers should take a walk behind Takashimaya, to understand why some employers are not willing to give their maids off-days.

                        I

                        Should ask Halimah Yaakub to go there take a look before she spout another new rule

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