All About Full-Time Maids
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DesertWind:
The cost of employing a maid is so high now the alternative of using a local nanny looks very attractive indeed! To look after the kid, the introduction fee is about SGD200/= (I think) and monthly pay to nanny about SGD600. No need to pay upfront for many months too! Downside is of course nanny not 24-hrs help, at night and weekends got to look after kid ourselves.
Which nanny service is this? All full time nanny from agencies seems to charge close to 2K per month for 7am-7pm weekday service.
If you could share which agency you are referring to, it would be GREAT!
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My current maid is a transfer maid.
She has worked here for about 3 years.
Currently, she will not be paid until the 3rd month is up. She is given 2 days off a month.
Last weekend, she mentioned that she was going to her ex-employer’s (a Muslim) house as she was holding an open house. She was exceptionally happy that day.
After she returned, I discovered she had a Western Union receipt under I assume, the ex-employer’s name. A money transfer was made from Saudi Arabia, about $200. The sender was a male. My maid was holding that amount. She had also taken a taxi back on her off day, after calling me and
telling me that there was a train disruption in Paya Lebar.
I would like to approach her and talk to her about her expenses on her off days, on the pretext of offering some pocket money, as the basis of establishing where and why she is getting her ‘extra money’ from. I have to find ways of finding out via cross examination. However, I would appreciate
it if experienced members can enlighten me, based on assumptions, behind
the fact that she is having the money. This is the first time I am facing such a situation cuz my 1st maid was a gem. The 2nd one was a nightmare. I sent her back after 6 months. Both did not have off days, hence there were no issues with expenses.
Please don’t tell me that she cannot be trusted etc… I have learnt that I
have to manage my expectations of my maid. I do not have any major complaints about her. She takes care of the toddler well and does a good job of cleaning. So I would refrain from changing my maid unless there
warrants a concrete and plausible reason. -
hi autumnbronze, my guts feel is, could she be moonlighting at her ex-employer’s hse or any other places?
if it happen to me, i think i would most likely ask her to leave… i dunno if anyone here agrees with me, they are not just regular employees or staff in the company, they are maids… if they know i could tolerate that, there would be more to come next… -
my friend once followed her maid out… apparently she was living not too far from lucky plaza and the maid walk a good 20min to reach there… after that she saw her maid selling some things to her friends, and realised some were things that she discarded and things which seem to be handmade by the maid…
she gave her maid a chance to tell the truth after that, giving her some clothes and told her if she wants, she can wear them, if not throw them away. and she mention to her if she wants to bring out for her friends to sell cheaply, she can give her some more but she wants to take a share after selling… her maid replied that she dun dare to sell, blah blah blah… later alot of trouble, the agent already warn her, cannot sell for money… blah blah blah…
my friend got so fed up that she’s lying as if she really dun dare to sell… called agent and sent her off immediately… -
Autumnbronze, I feel you shld ask your maid directly about the extra $200 she has. If she has nothing to hide, she will be upfront to you. Just my opinion.
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verykiasumummy:
hi autumnbronze, my guts feel is, could she be moonlighting at her ex-employer's hse or any other places? if it happen to me, i think i would most likely ask her to leave... i dunno if anyone here agrees with me, they are not just regular employees or staff in the company, they are maids... if they know i could tolerate that, there would be more to come next...
Agreed. We really have no idea what they do on their offday. You have a young child and the reality is their standard of moral values is very different from us. For me, I never have a maid who do not steal my children's food eg ice cream, chocolates, fresh milk, honey, fish oils, birds nest, chinese medicine,.... everything. One was caught bitting off the chocolate bar before putting back into the fridge. They also double dip their fingers or utensils in the process. I am particular about transmittable disease, even if it is theoretically not transmitted by saliva. If you know what I am driving at. -
Hi vkmummy and coolkidsrock2,
Thank you for your input. Appreciate it and will take them into consideration.
I have no issues with this maid. She listens and follows instructions well. She is hygienic. For instance, she washes her hands with soap on her own accord after changing the baby’s diapers or whenever necessary. Her housekeeping is good and most importantly, she takes care of the toddler well.
I do not want to be hasty. My 2nd maid was a minx in disguise. She stole food, my beloved skirt that I wore for my son’s first birthday, which holds great sentimental value. She has also done far worse things than this, which I do not wish to post, cuz I do not want to get all upset again. Suffice
to say, my DH is in the midst of giving feedback to MOM about her behaviour.
Therefore, I want to tread carefully with this one and speak to her and suss
her out. She is as good as it gets with regard to attitude and hygiene. Let
me see what I can find out from her. Actually, as a transfer plus experienced maid, she has some expectations, which I have already fulfilled for her. So I have a strong feeling that she would not want to jeopardize
her comfort zone here. Her contract record is pretty good. Finished 2 years with one family and 1 year with another. And as leverage, I made it very clear to her that because of my previous terrible experience, I will return
her to the agent in a jiffy if I find that she is not fulfilling her end of the bargain, citing the reason that I will go back to full time work and place my kids in cc if need be, because peace of mind is my first priority and that I have a choice to have or not have a maid. I am not beholden to her. I also
did the necessary steps like setting the tone, ground rules etc when she first came in.
To the other members reading my previous post, if you have any other assumptions, please share. It will be food for thought for me. -
Angelight:
Autumnbronze, I feel you shld ask your maid directly about the extra $200 she has. If she has nothing to hide, she will be upfront to you. Just my opinion.
Thank you for your input Angelight. That is somewhat my intention
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junearifin:
Hi, you can check out BBNanny at their website. The charges are listed.DesertWind:
The cost of employing a maid is so high now the alternative of using a local nanny looks very attractive indeed! To look after the kid, the introduction fee is about SGD200/= (I think) and monthly pay to nanny about SGD600. No need to pay upfront for many months too! Downside is of course nanny not 24-hrs help, at night and weekends got to look after kid ourselves.
Which nanny service is this? All full time nanny from agencies seems to charge close to 2K per month for 7am-7pm weekday service.
If you could share which agency you are referring to, it would be GREAT! -
POA Teacher:
Hi, this ex-HK maid is my mother's maid. She is somewhat slow indeed and can understand why she did not last long in HK.Hi Desertwind, your maid wants an increament over the pay she was getting in HK!
Btw, she probably didn't make the cut in HK, otherwise why was she employed there for less than a year. Must be kena sacked.
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