All About Full-Time Maids

[JRLam]

Hi. I am looking for English course for my maid, actually she is the one asking for it. Preferably FOC classes


Anyone has recommendation?

Thanks in advance!

[Angelight]

MOM just passed a new law that with immediate effect, domestic maids are not allowed to clean the outside windows, except for those on ground floor and only on 2 conditions: the maid must be supervised by the employer while cleaning windows, and when the window grills are locked.


But how to open the windows and clean the outside glass if the grills are locked? :scratchhead:

[LOLMum]

Angelight:

MOM just passed a new law that with immediate effect, domestic maids are not allowed to clean the outside windows, except for those on ground floor and only on 2 conditions: the maid must be supervised by the employer while cleaning windows, and when the window grills are locked.


But how to open the windows and clean the outside glass if the grills are locked? :scratchhead:

grills are locked but still need keys to open to hang the clothes. am sure the employers do not hold the keys themselves so they must be kept by maid.

[moonee]

Obviously MOM is not very effective holding safety courses for maids, after the maids hv gone tru the orientation, we see more maids falling… I dont think they give proper lectures and hv not instilled into their brains the importance of safety. Think they should nt cast the blame on employers but themselves. I wonder how they teach the maids on safety cos its crazy that 9 hv fallen if they hv taught the maids proper safety procedures, I think they need to check on their officers to put greater emphasis on window cleaning and hanging clothes.

[nms1]

My maid laughed when I told her as she thinks it’s totally ridiculous. We live in a terrace house so it theoretically applies to our 2nd floor windows. When I said that she is not allowed to clean them unless I am there or another adult, she said "but I’m an adult…I’m not a child".


I think the challenge here is that there is a group of maids who have been here for a long time and/or have more common sense and initiative and realise the dangers of hanging out of a window. There is a small group who don’t pay any attention to the training and/or don’t really understand and another small group who feel that their employer will be angry if they don’t do it. MOM is using the same tool for all of them whereas what needs to be addressed is those who have ignored the training or didn’t understand it. And the very small group of employers who make the maid feel like she must do it anyway.

[moonee]

my balcony is on the 2nd level too and if my maid falls then I pity my car below. I hv sliding windows and my maid has no problem wiping the windows once a week. Anyway told her not to do it unless Im around towatch her. Hahhh, shes not too happy cos she mention that she has no problem with my windows and has been cleaning similar sliding windows for 4 yrs in the phillipines… does nt like the idea of me watching her clean

[POA Teacher]

I can’t help but wonder why there has been a surge in the number of maids falling this year.

Has there been a surge in number of new maids coming in (esp from Indonesia) ?

[cool_hi]

Hi all, need some advice on work permits, home leave & passports for mynmar maids..


My mynmar maid, finally decided that she wants to renew contract wth us..phew!! PrAISE GOD!!
her work permit expires on 2nd Dec 2012..at 1st, I was thinking of letting her go home visit 2-3 weeks before work permit expire, & come back by say, 25th Nov, then renew her work permit before it expires..
is this the right & easier way?
but I think she prefers to go back during Christmas(she's christian), which I would like to oblige her..then that means I have to renew her work permit, then let her go back in Mid-dec..can this be done?

When I let her go back, she has to carry her work permit card with her right? & on entry back to s'pore, she has to show officers the card, then can go through customs right??

& during the time when she is on home leave, we can don't pay maid levey, right?? How to apply??& how to show/prove to MOM??

& her passport expires in sept 2013..so work permit can only apply till aug 2013..after renew passport, then can extend/renew work permit for another 2 years from Aug 2013? or they count the 2 years from Dec 2012??

THanks in advance!! 1st time renewing thus very blur but would rather go through hassel of renewing, than to risk having to get used to a new maid..much more ex & more risky in having potential problems!!

[Karl12]

Dear mummies,

Just realised I have been misled by my maid agency" Universal Employment Agency. We engage a maid from them abt 1 month ago from the parkway office.

We were promised of a "lifetime replacement" as claim by the sales rep to justify the $1500 agency fees we paid. Although we know that its so many times higher than the usual $388, we foolishly thought that since its a lifetime replacement, why not.

She brought us through the wordy contract and explained to us the areas which are excluded from this free replacement policy. She told us this is only effective after 6 months, and also replacement is only for 3rd (lowest) tier of maid. If we want the higher tier, i.e transfer maid with 2 yrs exp, we have to top up a few hundreds.

This is also fine with us. By giving such clear explanation by them, we thought that all that is needed to know are clearly explained to us. We never expect that this is only a partial disclosure. They only tell us the less important exclusions.

Now they are telling us that if the helper is returning to Philippines, it is excluded from this replacement policy. This is totally different from what they told us earlier: Pay them $1500 agency fee, you can use them a lifetime.

As we seek clarifications from them, they claim that maids hardly wish to go back for good because it is difficult and costly for them to come here. So we don’t have to worry about this. That is not what I felt. I heard of maids going back for good after the earn enough or they just want to work in other countries.

Finally, they told us that this exclusion is mentioned in the contract. My husband and I combed through the contracts several times, we simply cannot find that clause. Then when we press them further, they pointed us to a clause which says the replacement policy is not effective if “the maid refuse to transfer”. So to them, it implies that if the maid is not staying in Singapore anymore, the replacement policy lapse. We were dumbfounded. This was not explained or highlighted to us at all. Yet they only highlight to us the least important exclusions.

So folks, dont just go for "good" agency, thinking that you pay more agency fees, they will be credible.

Although there is nothing i can do since they claim to be in the market for 26 years, I can only pre-warn people not to be deceived by this “premier” agency that charges $1500 agency fees.

I should just go to a cheaper agency fees and pay a $388 agency fee everytime i get a maid. Instead of falling into this $1,500 "lifetime replacement" claim.

Anyone can advise how i should proceed from here?
I am a first time employer and i thought going to expensive agency will be better for newbies like me, less chances of being misled. It proved me wrong.

Some of my friends ask me to go to Case? The problem is so far, nothing has happen, as my maid is not going back anytime, so not sure if Case will help on this issue.

We are not asking for a refund of the $1.5K agency fees. We merely want them to honour what they told us about lifetime replacement. Of course, our maid may stay with us for 2 years or 10 years, what matter to us is the principal. They should deliver what they promise verbally.

[tan9]

Karl12:

Dear mummies,

Just realised I have been misled by my maid agency\" Universal Employment Agency. We engage a maid from them abt 1 month ago from the parkway office.

We were promised of a \"lifetime replacement\" as claim by the sales rep to justify the $1500 agency fees we paid. Although we know that its so many times higher than the usual $388, we foolishly thought that since its a lifetime replacement, why not.

She brought us through the wordy contract and explained to us the areas which are excluded from this free replacement policy. She told us this is only effective after 6 months, and also replacement is only for 3rd (lowest) tier of maid. If we want the higher tier, i.e transfer maid with 2 yrs exp, we have to top up a few hundreds.

This is also fine with us. By giving such clear explanation by them, we thought that all that is needed to know are clearly explained to us. We never expect that this is only a partial disclosure. They only tell us the less important exclusions.

Now they are telling us that if the helper is returning to Philippines, it is excluded from this replacement policy. This is totally different from what they told us earlier: Pay them $1500 agency fee, you can use them a lifetime.

As we seek clarifications from them, they claim that maids hardly wish to go back for good because it is difficult and costly for them to come here. So we don’t have to worry about this. That is not what I felt. I heard of maids going back for good after the earn enough or they just want to work in other countries.

Finally, they told us that this exclusion is mentioned in the contract. My husband and I combed through the contracts several times, we simply cannot find that clause. Then when we press them further, they pointed us to a clause which says the replacement policy is not effective if “the maid refuse to transfer”. So to them, it implies that if the maid is not staying in Singapore anymore, the replacement policy lapse. We were dumbfounded. This was not explained or highlighted to us at all. Yet they only highlight to us the least important exclusions.

So folks, dont just go for \"good\" agency, thinking that you pay more agency fees, they will be credible.

Although there is nothing i can do since they claim to be in the market for 26 years, I can only pre-warn people not to be deceived by this “premier” agency that charges $1500 agency fees.

I should just go to a cheaper agency fees and pay a $388 agency fee everytime i get a maid. Instead of falling into this $1,500 \"lifetime replacement\" claim.

Anyone can advise how i should proceed from here?
I am a first time employer and i thought going to expensive agency will be better for newbies like me, less chances of being misled. It proved me wrong.

Some of my friends ask me to go to Case? The problem is so far, nothing has happen, as my maid is not going back anytime, so not sure if Case will help on this issue.

We are not asking for a refund of the $1.5K agency fees. We merely want them to honour what they told us about lifetime replacement. Of course, our maid may stay with us for 2 years or 10 years, what matter to us is the principal. They should deliver what they promise verbally.

I am so sorry for yr plight. I have not been in such a situation so can't help but if I were you, I will write to all relevant government about this matter and stop them from misleading people. Technically, nobody knows how long they will be in business so such claim is really outrageous.

Personally, I don't really buy this free replacement advert becos I always take transfer maids (yah, those that work here 3-4 months and didn't work out). It is the maid's chemistry with us that is impt. So next time when I want to change maid, the agency may not have suitable ones so frankly, I rather they charge me lower n don't give me replacement.