All About Full-Time Maids

[KopiYing]

Agree! Why not put baby in infant care since both u n hubby are taking care of household chores?


Even I’m home 24hrs, sometimes my maid also try something funny. Cant imagine when maid is alone with baby! better dont take risk!

[kiasimom]

//Editor's note: Topic selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/tips-selecting-maid-fdw.


Hi.
Just to share the measures you can take to protect yourself if you employ a FDW.

1. Look for an agency that accepts post-dated cheques.
Reason: When there is a dispute, you do not have to worry that your whole loan repayment for current maid will be forfeited. Although the agency fee will be slightly higher, it beats having the whole loan amount forfeited. You are in control of the money as the cheques are post-dated and you can cancel them if need arises.

2. Never believe an agency that you CANNOT cancel your maid work permit. YOU CAN.
Reason: When the maid has outstanding loan, they don't want you to cancel the permit as it will be difficult for them to sell your maid to another employer. They will want to re-market the maid to another employer till the maid settles her loan with the agency.
Just bear in mind that if you cancel her permit, you have to bear the repatriation cost.

3. Always read the entire agreement
Always take the effort to read through the entire agreement. Never sign blindly as there are clauses that are tricky and will not benefit the employer. Once you ink the agreement, you are contractually binded.
Look out for clauses that state your stand if the maid runs away, commits an offence or pregnant. Find out what can the agency do to help you.

4. Free replacement of maids
Always ask in details. Be very careful if the replacement is unlimited as it will be too good to be true. Always ask the terms and conditions for replacement. Some agencies will not replace you with another maid if you repatriate your current maid even if she has committed an offence.

5. Go to big and reputable companies
As in buying, always go to reputable companies that had been around for many years. Small agency may charge you $1 agency fee and who knows few months down the road, they will just fold up.

6. Always ask for a timeline
For new maids, it may take 1 month for her to arrive.
Ask the agency for a timeline, if they cannot deliver a maid, are you entitled to a refund if you cannot choose a suitable maid from their biodatas? This is very important or else you may just lose all the money and time waiting.

7. For transfer maids, ask to speak to the previous employer. Do not just believe what the agent and the maid says as the story might have been fabricated.

8. When the maid is here, make sure that it is the same maid that you have chosen. Always ask if they have friends, relatives or boyfriend in Singapore.

9. Always check the belongings. Do not leave things to chance.

10. If your maid has no off days, make sure she signs on the agreement letter that she is awared and agreeable to that. You won't know what will happen in future.

11. Draft out a timetable for the maid. Orientate her and ask her to follow the timetable for the first month.

12. Tell her about the rules and regulations on the first day. Do not wait till she does something wrong then you tell her off. She will feel injustified.

13. Tell her if you will like her hair to be short or she can keep it long. Be very clear about it.

Hope the above helps and may prospective employers find a good maid soon

P.S. Always find a maid that can understand and speak your language especially if you are a FTWM or FTWF.

[tamarind]

KopiYing:

Agree! Why not put baby in infant care since both u n hubby are taking care of household chores?


Even I'm home 24hrs, sometimes my maid also try something funny. Cant imagine when maid is alone with baby! better dont take risk!

You are right I always advice employers NOT to leave their babies and young kids alone with the maid. They are taking a very big risk. Even if the babies/kids seem to be physically unharmed, they may be hurt emotionally and the parents will have no way of finding out what happened to them.

[hquek]

cakhcakh:

Need help. My maid 25yrs from Indon is solely taking care of my baby boy 7months. All the housework is done by my hubby and myself.

We hv problem in telling the maid when she handle the baby wrongly. Like not following the feeding timetable. Watching TV when no one at home when she is suppose to tend to the baby. We have a video in the room, the maid turn on the tv and watch all day long.. leave the baby to play on his own and will tend to the baby only when commercial ads. We tell her off one time... but tat night baby cries so frequent. My hubby suspect that she might vent her anger at the baby when we tell her off. what shld we do

Hi cakhcakh,

Yes, for your baby's sake, please send the maid away as soon as you can. Only 1 baby and she cannot handle? Better in infant care than under her hands.

I find that if a maid is not receptive to my feedback (esp when she's new), then she's definitely not worth retaining. Which boss will allow us FTWM to sit and laze all day, or will keep us if we don't follow their instructions?

Too many horror stories, don't let your baby suffer under her. It's just not worth it.

oh yes! please go to tamarind's blog to update her details - then any new mothers looking at that can be forewarned about this tv queen.

[cran7]

1. Look for an agency that accepts post-dated cheques.

Reason: When there is a dispute, you do not have to worry that your whole loan repayment for current maid will be forfeited. Although the agency fee will be slightly higher, it beats having the whole loan amount forfeited. You are in control of the money as the cheques are post-dated and you can cancel them if need arises.



Any maid agency that you ppl know allows post-dated cheques?

[tamarind]

[quote]
1. Look for an agency that accepts post-dated cheques.
Reason: When there is a dispute, you do not have to worry that your whole loan repayment for current maid will be forfeited. Although the agency fee will be slightly higher, it beats having the whole loan amount forfeited. You are in control of the money as the cheques are post-dated and you can cancel them if need arises. [/quote]Please remember to read every word of the agency contract. There will be a fine print that says that, if the maid is sent home before she has finished repaying the loan, then the employer is liable to pay the full amount.

Otherwise the agency will force the maid to be transferred to a new employer who will then suffer. The maid may run away again. I have seen how the staff at maid agencies treat the maids, threatening them, slapping them, etc.

The maid agency will NOT lose money, they know how to protect themselves. MOM has rules to protect the maids. Employers are the ones who are not protected at all.

[KopiYing]

Sigh, seems like maids are monsters instead of helpers! We employ maids to assist in the end we are so troubled by them. :roll:


I close one eye when maid is not really cleaning thoroughly coz she gotta take care of my 20mth toddler and I'm preggy. I shall see things go after i delivered. If I can manage on my own I'd rather send the elder to toddler care then get part-time cleaning. Her contract ends Jun2010.

[mrswongtuition]

KopiYing:

Sigh, seems like maids are monsters instead of helpers! We employ maids to assist in the end we are so troubled by them. :roll:


I close one eye when maid is not really cleaning thoroughly coz she gotta take care of my 20mth toddler and I'm preggy. I shall see things go after i delivered. If I can manage on my own I'd rather send the elder to toddler care then get part-time cleaning. Her contract ends Jun2010.

Sometimes I also close 1 eye, but I hint to her that it's not clean enough & she'll 'buck up' when she's free. i.e. when I'm home to help out with my boy.

[hquek]

mrswongtuition:

KopiYing:

Sigh, seems like maids are monsters instead of helpers! We employ maids to assist in the end we are so troubled by them. :roll:


I close one eye when maid is not really cleaning thoroughly coz she gotta take care of my 20mth toddler and I'm preggy. I shall see things go after i delivered. If I can manage on my own I'd rather send the elder to toddler care then get part-time cleaning. Her contract ends Jun2010.

Sometimes I also close 1 eye, but I hint to her that it's not clean enough & she'll 'buck up' when she's free. i.e. when I'm home to help out with my boy.

Maids are only humans, I also slack a bit sometimes when it comes to work. When that happens, I'll just remind her what needs to be done. But I draw the line if she's not receptive to feedback (ie show black face or totally dun give me face when I'm telling her), or if she's rude to my mum, or guilty of worst things (polluting our food/drinks, stealing, cruelty).

Generally ok if she comes to tell me upfront what she spoilt - won't ask her to pay, but I get really angry if I have to find out for myself (cos I feel she's lying to me).

[kiasimom]

cran7:

1. Look for an agency that accepts post-dated cheques.

Reason: When there is a dispute, you do not have to worry that your whole loan repayment for current maid will be forfeited. Although the agency fee will be slightly higher, it beats having the whole loan amount forfeited. You are in control of the money as the cheques are post-dated and you can cancel them if need arises.



Any maid agency that you ppl know allows post-dated cheques?

Hi.
I use Nation ( Simei ).