Maid to get weekly rest days

[nms1]

JGMum:

zmonster1969:

Set up day-care centers
Gahmen will say no-no cos it does not make any economic sense to have a centre that operates on Sundays only.
Even if the gahmen is willing to do so, where to find a location whereby residents do not object?

Database of ex-Singapore maids
Remember http://singaporemaidagencyreviews.blogspot.com/ ??? Someone will then come out to say that the information is confidential and violates privacy laws.

Yes, I see your point, indeed there would be resistance to new elder care centres. How about existing ones as a start? Currently I think most elder day care centres e.g. St. Lukes operate on normal workings days, and not on weekends and public holidays. Maybe they can expand existing centres, and have them operate on weekends and public holidays (with nurses and care-givers on shift like the hospitals?)

As for the database of ex-Singapore maids, I agree that there is some contention. But perhaps if the information is not available publicly (like published on a website), but available to prospective employers who pay a nominal fee? I am thinking of a system like the Credit Bureau where if one wants to get a loan from a bank, the bank can ask for the person's credit history from the Bureau. Or like the insurance companies, who may do a family background check on health for policy holders. As far as I know, this is not deemed as a violation of privacy. I am wondering would that work?

Maybe it's because I am not that clever, but personally I don't understand why the NGOs and ex-Singapore maids insist that having this information available to employers violates privacy laws. I mean, if checking up on prospective employees before hiring them breaks any privacy laws, then the companies and MNCs who get private investigators to check on prospective employees' background before hiring them would be breaking those exact laws right? How come they can do it?

Sometimes, I think that FDW employers act a little like bank/lender (take on upfront loan for FDW), a little like insurance company (who has to pay out in event of medical/hospital bills, on top of being the employer. Sigh.

I think the issue with the maid blog is that it is personal views of the employers and there is nothing to stop them exaggerating and/or outright lying if they are angry or want to make things difficult for their former maid. We all know that there are bad employers out there who might abuse it. And in most cases the maids do not have the opportunity to defend themselves.

Also, outside of deliberate theft or abuse, people have different standards; someone who I might find unsuitable as a maid may be OK for someone else. It is subjective.

[JGMum]

nms1:

I think the issue with the maid blog is that it is personal views of the employers and there is nothing to stop them exaggerating and/or outright lying if they are angry or want to make things difficult for their former maid. We all know that there are bad employers out there who might abuse it. And in most cases the maids do not have the opportunity to defend themselves.

Also, outside of deliberate theft or abuse, people have different standards; someone who I might find unsuitable as a maid may be OK for someone else. It is subjective.

I do agree that personal views of employers are subjective. The database I imagine would primarily comprise of factual information like how many times the maid transfered during her time here, how long she worked for each employer, how long she worked in Singapore, was a police case ever filed for theft or abuse. And it would not be publicly published, just like personal credit ratings are not published publicly, but made available to those who need it. And it will be \"individual\", the report is only for the maid concerned, and not the entire database of thousands of maids. Just like banks do not ask for credit ratings of individuals who have no business or dealings with them. I just think that such information would be useful for prospective employers.

[hquek]

If the poster is willing to be identified for the comments she made, I’m fine and would be able to accept. And if one had been the victim of such ‘bad’ maids, really, why would one choose to see another person be victimized?


I’m all for such feedback websites. It’s ok if the problem is work or skill related. But if a maid has integrity issues, I want to know first.

My maids so far have been free of major concerns, I’m extremely grateful. Yet I still am filled with dread each time I have to change (becos the current one wants to go home). Definitely not easy to live with a stranger.

[toddles]

JGMum:

I do agree that personal views of employers are subjective. The database I imagine would primarily comprise of factual information like how many times the maid transfered during her time here, how long she worked for each employer, how long she worked in Singapore, was a police case ever filed for theft or abuse. And it would not be publicly published, just like personal credit ratings are not published publicly, but made available to those who need it. And it will be \"individual\", the report is only for the maid concerned, and not the entire database of thousands of maids. Just like banks do not ask for credit ratings of individuals who have no business or dealings with them. I just think that such information would be useful for prospective employers.

:goodpost: this makes a lot of sense

[HAPPYH]

JGMum:

I do agree that personal views of employers are subjective. The database I imagine would primarily comprise of factual information like how many times the maid transfered during her time here, how long she worked for each employer, how long she worked in Singapore, was a police case ever filed for theft or abuse. And it would not be publicly published, just like personal credit ratings are not published publicly, but made available to those who need it. And it will be \"individual\", the report is only for the maid concerned, and not the entire database of thousands of maids. Just like banks do not ask for credit ratings of individuals who have no business or dealings with them. I just think that such information would be useful for prospective employers.

:goodpost:

[zmonster1969]

JGMum:

I do agree that personal views of employers are subjective. The database I imagine would primarily comprise of factual information like how many times the maid transfered during her time here, how long she worked for each employer, how long she worked in Singapore, was a police case ever filed for theft or abuse. And it would not be publicly published, just like personal credit ratings are not published publicly, but made available to those who need it. And it will be \"individual\", the report is only for the maid concerned, and not the entire database of thousands of maids. Just like banks do not ask for credit ratings of individuals who have no business or dealings with them. I just think that such information would be useful for prospective employers.

Not sure if private companies screens against Police records for their potential employees. I know that the public sector does it for public servants.

CID issues Certificate of Clearance (COC) to certify that a person has no criminal conviction in Singapore.
http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/cert_issued.htm

[3Boys]

cool_hi:

Actually, after voicing out here & there..feel disheartened..

coz no point la..waste time only..govt just close 2 eyes..& both ears..
Actually, the nations I admire are Korea & Japan, or even Hong Kong & Taiwan..
Why?These are very advanced countries, especially Korea & Japan, yet their people are not manipulated & dare to show displease with ACTIONS!!
anything they not happy with, & government don't listen,
these people dare to go out to the streets & go on strike!!!
This is REAL DEMOCRACY!!
Think it will never happen here, within our generation..
& many generations after

The mark of an advanced culture is the ability to see beyond one's own interests and treat everyone, even the lowly, with dignity and respect. If we as a society cannot even agree to give our maids a day off a week, no amount of demonstration on the streets will make us an advanced society.

In fact, I can't think of anything more disheartening and puerile than a bunch of Singaporeans campaigning to lock their maids up in the homes 24/7....

Standing up and voicing an opinion loud loud does not make a democracy nor does it make one advanced.

[verykiasu2010]

3Boys:

Standing up and voicing an opinion loud loud does not make a democracy nor does it make one advanced.

agree with the above :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[POA Teacher]

3Boys:

The mark of an advanced culture is the ability to see beyond one's own interests and treat everyone, even the lowly, with dignity and respect. If we as a society cannot even agree to give our maids a day off a week, no amount of demonstration on the streets will make us an advanced society.


In fact, I can't think of anything more disheartening and puerile than a bunch of Singaporeans campaigning to lock their maids up in the homes 24/7....

Standing up and voicing an opinion loud loud does not make a democracy nor does it make one advanced.

Agree with most of what you said. Except that part about locking up maids in their homes 24/7. That may have been true of many employers decades ago. But nowadays the maids have lots of freedom even on working days. When I look around my HDB estate- I see maids chatting downstairs, sometimes with other maids, sometimes with guys. Some maids manage to even get pregnant without having day off. My own maid (now on 3rd passport) used to chat outside with her best friend almost every day (that friend's gone home. The other maids are not so pally with her, so she just talks with them occassionally.) My friends also tell me that their maids go downstairs to chat very often, even for hours at a stretch.
FYI, not all maids look forward to having a weekly day off. eg My maid was aghast when she read in the papers about it. \"Going to be like HK! Don't want can or not?\" And she's not the only one that feels that way. They know that day off means spend $, and that everything's so expensive here. Many are happy with monthly day off. In my opinion the ones that want weekly day off either (i) have someone who pays for their expenses that day (ii) moonlighting

[valvestate]

I had 2 maids for the last 4 years and neither of them has any day off. Instead, they go with us in Church which they prefer (I asked them) since then already have friends then rather than going to Lucky Plaza and mingle with other maids. We had this agreement when I took them as direct hire... they're more than happy as ever.