All About Full-Time Maids

[raynreg]

lifestylelink:

My agent has a Chinese Speaking candidate from Myanmar. Anyone interested to get the CV can PM me. I would love to keep her for myself, but my current maid is leaving only in November and she cannot wait that long.

Hi lifestylelink, drop you a pm.
Cheers

[Andaiz]

Has anyone's maid asked for a pay advance?


Mine did over the weekend after supposedly speaking to her DH and I was wondering if I'd made the right decision.

I asked her what that was for - she replied to redeem her pawn coupons (presumably pawned to pay for her passage here). When asked what the rush was payday is 10 days more), \"so that ma'm you don't need to go down twice to Lucky Plaza to remit money\" - only later did I dig out the details that the coupons expire on 15th...then I asked her why she's not sent money back for the last 2 months? She gave me her usual pan-face!

When checking with her, she said the 2 months' pay was enough for the redemption (which she has, obviously) and wanted a little extra to send back for the kids for some parade through town this month.

I then re-iterated that the cash advance would be approved if her work improved and work attitude changed for the better.

This morning, I had to remind her of the looming deadline for the pawn shop redemption. She then passed me (after she asked if she could put the money on the table - how rude!) less than her 2 months' pay :shock:.

When I inquired why it was so little (I know she's easily $100+ left) and if the advance was necessary, she said nonchalantly \"if you want to ma'm\" :? If it's really needed home, why is she giving so little back home - and waiting (hoping even) that I'd make up for the rest? Her excuse is that the remaining money was for her sister....

Her story keeps changing till I don't know what to believe anymore. She doesn't need to keep that much money with her coz we pay for everything she needs, right down to her sanitary napkin and medical stuff, if required.

So I went with my gutfeel that it was all a bluff. Did I do right?

[winth]

Hi Andaiz,


Gutfeel here says that she’s lying too.

[lifestylelink]

lifestylelink:

My agent has a Chinese Speaking candidate from Myanmar. Anyone interested to get the CV can PM me. I would love to keep her for myself, but my current maid is leaving only in November and she cannot wait that long.

Dear KSPs,
Just to let you know that the Chinese speaking Maid from Myanmar is taken. Thanks for the overwhelming response. :celebrate:

Anyone else interested will have to pre-order. Reason is that there are not many chinese speaking Myanmar girls, wanting to come to Singapore. Like Indonesian Chinese, they are \"more wealthy\" than the typical Myanmar citizens. The other thing is that it is also not easy for them to get passport approval, they need \"connection\".

If you are interested in maids from Philippines and Indonesia, my agent also have lah. Unlike other maid agency, she specialises in foreign workers placement. My referral gets extra perks. PM me with the details on job scope, maid country of origin preferred, family structure, house type and I'll get agent to do a maid-matching for you. :idea:

Also indicate if it is for immediate placement (1-2 months) or forward placement (2-3 months onwards).

[thebusybee]

Andaiz:

Has anyone's maid asked for a pay advance?

My transfer maid asked for pay advance before, which she was genuinely poor as she worked 10mths w/o pay (the agency deducted 2 more months of her pay after rejected from the 1st employer due to communication problem, she doesn't know English at all)

She worked for me after serving the 2nd employer for about a year, which only draw about 2 months of pay. I pitied her at first to help her thru' difficult times by advance her pay once.

Same as her previous employer, I do not allow her to hold cash, except for sanitary and phone card top ups ($10-$20 once a month)

Every month nearing her pay day, her husband/family member/s will call her up to send money home. It only came to my attention recently that it's a norm that the family will quote 'someone ill/died, needs to repay loans' as 'excuses', i gave her benefit of doubts, since those are her money. I'd been telling/teaching her to keep more money to herself when return home after contract.

After few times of sending money home (sometimes just 1-2 hundred, paying $12 extra service fees which I told her not worth paying the extras), I lay the cards down other than educating her on managing her hard-earn money. I told her I need to keep 2 months of her salary in case of her sudden needs to quit or some thing happened back home that requires her to go home, as a guarantee for me.

[Andaiz]

thebusybee:

After few times of sending money home (sometimes just 1-2 hundred, paying $12 extra service fees which I told her not worth paying the extras), I lay the cards down other than educating her on managing her hard-earn money. I told her I need to keep 2 months of her salary in case of her sudden needs to quit or some thing happened back home that requires her to go home, as a guarantee for me.

That's a good idea but is it legal?

[thebusybee]

Well, it’s more like advice her to keep more money, so that upon returning home she’ll save more. Legal or not, I think it’s the agreement between employer & helper.


I told her I had bad experience with ex-helper before that’s why I implement such rule, the money is still hers at the end of the day. I keep reminding her it’s her hard-earn money, she has to keep some for her future and in case of emergency use.

I do understand that she got sad and cried every time the husband demands money, it’s hard for her to say no. I kept reminding her like a nagging mum that there’re some helpers husband who used the wife’s money to flirt around and she pretty aware that some of her relatives/friends’ husband do stray while the wives providing for the family.

I even sarcastically ask her how come the husband so punctual to call right before her pay day. The latest ‘reason’ was her girl got hospitalized - needing the money for x-ray, I reminded her not to give fake reason. I told her it’s her money she decides but stood firm on holding at least a month of her pay.

I do not allow her to carry mobile phone and tell her to call using the house phone. (so that I can monitor her communication with family). It’s good to show ‘concerns’ after some calls to find out who called and what’s the conversation about. Anyway, after that comments of her girl fall ill (sort of hint to her whether the husband telling lies or not), few days later she told me her sister’s together with the husband called my home to prove that her girl really fall ill. From this incident I can tell they are not simple, reminded me not to get fooled by simple-minded and harmless looking people.

[Lookingforsale]

Aiyoh, so much heartache getting a maid, just thinking of getting one makes me feel so paranoid.


I suppose we can’t really be sure if the maid is giving just making excuses/bluffs or not, but I also think it would be unfair to stereotype all of the helpers this way.

[Andaiz]

Lookingforsale:

Aiyoh, so much heartache getting a maid, just thinking of getting one makes me feel so paranoid.


I suppose we can't really be sure if the maid is giving just making excuses/bluffs or not, but I also think it would be unfair to stereotype all of the helpers this way.

Yes, we just have to trust our instincts on some of these issues; and also give them the benefit of doubt. I always remind myself that they are here to help us; and to treat them humanely coz they are someone's daughter, sister, wife, mother, etc... and the check is that how I treat them should be how I'd want my boss to treat me too

[tamarind]

Dear all,

I finally found time to write the stories of my 8 maids.

http://singaporemaid.blogspot.com/2009/08/about-my-maids.html

For those who had encountered bad maids before, and are in despair, do read my blog. I think you will feel better I had so many problem maids ! But I just kept changing, and finally found my number 8 maid who is excellent. There are good maids out there ! You just have to keep looking.

For full time working mommies like me, finding a good maid is top priority. Without my maid Siti, I would not have the time to teach my kids at all !