Is two-week vacation leave after only one year reasonable?

[Metis]

Thanks all so much for your suggestions and warnings! Will check figures and present them to her with analysis. But she seems to have a very weak grasp of financial management concepts. I also beginning to wonder if I should just bite the bullet and… live without a maid!

[Hard Truth]

Some food for thought:


"I am uncomfortable because this request to take leave comes after two recent requests for advance pay".

Did you grant those requests or did you turn them down?
So what would be the salary situation if she should leave and not come back?

1 Are you in arrears with her salary?
2 Breakeven?
3 She still owes you money because of the advances that you have given? If this is the case then she is taking YOUR money to go back and presenting to you nicely that SHE will pay the costs.

"2 weeks home leave"…Is this paid or unpaid (Am presuming it is unpaid)

Lynn2010 post a good question "Home leave application cost about $300 (heard from friends). Who bears the cost?

After you have worked out the financials, it is more relevant to yourself then to the maid.

Why should she care about your presentation if the bottom line is that she is ahead if she does not come back?

[Imp75]

What is home leave application?

[Metis]

Hi Hard Truth, I had granted her requests for advance pay. :roll: Just went to seek advice from the agent. Agent said I shouldn't have advanced so much Told me to consult them next time if any such requests were raised again. The agent offered to counsel her. Agent was of view that if I was agreeable to home leave, already considered very good. 2 weeks really pushing it! I pay on the first of each month and had paid her for the month of July. Her trip home is supposed to be last two weeks of October. So I will be careful now and not advance any more in case she decides not to return! Yeah, it will be unpaid home leave.

Oh, just now she told me that her bro would be paying for the air tickets. I am really weary of her now - when she asked me for advance pay a few days ago, she had told me that her bro could not help pay their mother's debt due to wedding expenses, hence the burden fell to her. It is so weird to prioritise air tickets over settling of debts!!

[Hard Truth]

My best wishes to you and I hope you have a happy ending to tell us later

Metis:

Hi Hard Truth, I had granted her requests for advance pay. :roll: Just went to seek advice from the agent. Agent said I shouldn't have advanced so much Told me to consult them next time if any such requests were raised again. The agent offered to counsel her. Agent was of view that if I was agreeable to home leave, already considered very good. 2 weeks really pushing it! I pay on the first of each month and had paid her for the month of July. Her trip home is supposed to be last two weeks of October. So I will be careful now and not advance any more in case she decides not to return! Yeah, it will be unpaid home leave.
Oh, just now she told me that her bro would be paying for the air tickets. I am really weary of her now - when she asked me for advance pay a few days ago, she had told me that her bro could not help pay their mother's debt due to wedding expenses, hence the burden fell to her. It is so weird to prioritise air tickets over settling of debts!!

[Metis]

Hi sad citizen, of all the requests for home leave by your maid, which did you accede to?

[3Boys]

Metis:

Hi all, would appreciate your views and advice. My maid has been with me for a year and asked for two-week home leave to attend her brother's wedding at her own cost. The period coincides with my office peak period and I asked her to reconsider shortening it to a week or 10 days. She won't budge. Is she taking advantage of me or am I not considerate enough of her personal feelings for this family event? Thanks!

Tough call. I think you are within your rights to insist on your point of view here, but could be damaging.

[sad citizen]

Metis:

Hi sad citizen, of all the requests for home leave by your maid, which did you accede to?

Every time she makes a request to be away, I didn't immediately said ok. I said let me try to sort it out.

Eventually, I agreed to her requests but she decided not to be away. Each time she made a request, she said must go home, can't change her mind or dates. Her final decision was to fly home when her contract ends, guessed she's unwilling to pay own airfare and no cash advance from me.

Now, she makes me feel she testing me, my tolerance level, check how much I need her, whether I’ll ‘die’ if she’s away.

I’m trying to get her understand, it’s ok for her to be away.
From an employer who had problem granting FDW weekly off days to long vacation, I’m now prepared for nuisance… told her worse scenario, I’ll quit my hard-to-get-nice job and stay home. It is not cheap to have a live-in FDW. I'm not lucky to be tai-tai or self employed, I've an employer who had hired me to work to seek understanding.... :lightrod: hope MOM and agencies won't make my life too miserable to have a FDW.

[Metis]

Thanks, sad citizen!


Imp75: home leave application just means that the maid goes home with the intention to return to Singapore to continue working for the same employer. By contract, this is granted at the end of 2 years. Occasionally, some maids want to return home, like mine, for events such as the wedding or death of a family member before the completion of 2 years.

[MummyJenkins]

Hi, would like to check whether it’s possible to compensate the maid if she’s not going for her home leave after the 2 yrs contract? If yes, how much to pay her? Many thanks.