All About Full-Time Maids

[DesertWind]

Notksmum:

hi all I am new here.


I recently employed a new phil helper. I am giving her $500 with 1 day off (she's coming before 1 Jan so still under old Ts & Cs). I want to check how you pay your maid. In cash and sign a book to acknowledge or set up a bank account?

I was thinking if i limit the cash (say keep 80% in bank) and give her $100 in cash so she can spend on off day. She can accumulate the $100 and remit home?

Hi there,

I pay maid cash and she need to sign off on the salary sheet.

Does it mean you will keep your maid's bank book?

:celebrate:

[straffan23]

I used to practise the same as DesertWind. Recently decided to change to what I think is ‘better’ - Setup a FDW POSB Savings account for her. It is in her own name. She keeps the ATM Card and the passbook. It is her money. I do a internet bank transfer to her account last day of the month. Anyway, it is money that is due to her, so her money, her responsibility. The bank charges $2 /mth if the daily balance is below $500. Otherwise there is no charges.

[Coolkidsrock2]

straffan23:

I used to practise the same as DesertWind. Recently decided to change to what I think is 'better' - Setup a FDW POSB Savings account for her. It is in her own name. She keeps the ATM Card and the passbook. It is her money. I do a internet bank transfer to her account last day of the month. Anyway, it is money that is due to her, so her money, her responsibility. The bank charges $2 /mth if the daily balance is below $500. Otherwise there is no charges.

I use OCBC cos they are open on Sundays. More convenient for me when they need to withdraw money when they leave. My maids are from the rural areas and minimally educated so not familiar with the concept of banking. They reject the ATM card and I will credit the cheque into their account, showing them the entry as proof of payment.

Thus far, my maids do not want off days and everything is provided by me, toiletaries, stationary for writing home and stamps, phone cards (for calling home, they do not have handphones), ... so they really do not need cash. They do receive cash gifts on birthdays, special occasions and it is more than enough.

[KSmom8]

For my Indonesian maid many years ago, she had a Posb account. ATM card and bank book kept by us. She didn’t want to send money back. Toiletries, etc all provided by us. This was the maid who worked for us for 3 years and stole from us.


My recent Indonesian maid, could not decide whether to send money back. For this reason, I did not get her a bank account. She said keep money with madam. Occasionally said wanted to send money back but then changed mind. We also provided all toiletries, phone card etc. After one year, gave us all sorts of problems, and we had instances of our money going missing. In the end, sent her home before her 2 years was up.

My Philipina maids always wanted to be paid in cash. I pay in cash in full and they sign the acknowledgement. I used a few agents and they all said pay cash in full. However, I didn’t have suspicions or instances of missing money.

[bernice]

i notice my Indo helper is taking slimming pills (from unknown source, I suspect that its from Indonesia), she tends to eat little during meals and long & freq. visits to toilet.


I am kind of concern about her health esp my baby is coming soon. Do I have the right to ask her to stop taking the slimming pills?

[KSmom8]

bernice:

i notice my Indo helper is taking slimming pills (from unknown source, I suspect that its from Indonesia), she tends to eat little during meals and long & freq. visits to toilet.


I am kind of concern about her health esp my baby is coming soon. Do I have the right to ask her to stop taking the slimming pills?

I would ask about the slimming pills, question whether they are safe for consumption and relate to her incidents of people being hospitalized and suffering from XXX permanently. Remember the celebrity who damaged her liver and had a transplant from her fiancé celebrity.... Was due to slimming pills right? Did I remember correctly?

Usually Indo helpers very scared when they hear 'hospital'. Try to reassure that if she eat lesser should lose weight. But if eat too little will get gastric pains, may faint and have to see doctor or stay in hospital. If don't eat enough, no strength, then how to do housework? Does madam get another helper to do housework? You know your helper best to decide on the correct choice of words and phrases.

My maids tend to put on weight within the first few months, but start to watch their diet after that. Most leave with fatter waistline. I feel that I have a right to ask and know, cos their medical problem is also mine. Thanks to MOM regulations. Jmho.

[Notksmum]

hi all,


Thanks for the sharing. I think I will still go ahead to open the FDW bank account. Maybe OCBC since they have Sunday Banking.

[Admummy]

Thinking of renewing my indo maid whose contract expiring in Jun. There are so many changes to the law. I don’t want to go through maid agency, can anyone enlighten me what is the procedure now? Is it just renew the work permit? What about going to the Indo Embassy? Still need to go there, do up a work contract and sign in front of the officials? What is the minimum pay now, is the minimum pay amount compulsory to follow or just as a guide? My maid was employed before the minimum wage amount was set hence it was relatively low starting pay (plus she has totally no experience as a maid). If I were to apply the minimum wage amount on her, this would mean a pay rise of about 25%! To be frank, i don’t think she deserve such a huge pay rise coz her work attitude still needs a lot of improvement. I wanted to extend her contract because I wanna save the hassle of retraining and eliminate the waiting period. I may just need her for another one year only so renewing her contract is more appropriate than getting a new maid (by default two years contract). Would appreciate comments and advice from you all please. Thanks!

[POA Teacher]

Admummy:

Thinking of renewing my indo maid whose contract expiring in Jun. There are so many changes to the law. I don't want to go through maid agency, can anyone enlighten me what is the procedure now? Is it just renew the work permit? What about going to the Indo Embassy? Still need to go there, do up a work contract and sign in front of the officials? What is the minimum pay now, is the minimum pay amount compulsory to follow or just as a guide? My maid was employed before the minimum wage amount was set hence it was relatively low starting pay (plus she has totally no experience as a maid). If I were to apply the minimum wage amount on her, this would mean a pay rise of about 25%! To be frank, i don't think she deserve such a huge pay rise coz her work attitude still needs a lot of improvement. I wanted to extend her contract because I wanna save the hassle of retraining and eliminate the waiting period. I may just need her for another one year only so renewing her contract is more appropriate than getting a new maid (by default two years contract). Would appreciate comments and advice from you all please. Thanks!

I think:
Just go to MOM website and follow the instructions for renewing the permit yourself eg get insurance, apply to MOM online
If your maid's passport still has another year's validity (since you said you only need her for one more year), you don't need to go to the embassy.
Minimum of $450 for new Indon maids is what the Indon authorities trying to enforce. What you pay to your maid is entirely by agreement between yourself and the maid. Why won't you pay her the $450 at least? She may not be a perfect maid, but she can't be that bad since you would like to renew her contract.
Do you think the new girls coming in on salaries of $450 are all better than her?
Btw, she has working experience as a maid, 1 1/2 yrs of it, in your home. If she were to get a new employer instead of renewing with you, she'll be able to command a salary of $500 at least.

[Admummy]

POA Teacher:

Admummy:

Thinking of renewing my indo maid whose contract expiring in Jun. There are so many changes to the law. I don't want to go through maid agency, can anyone enlighten me what is the procedure now? Is it just renew the work permit? What about going to the Indo Embassy? Still need to go there, do up a work contract and sign in front of the officials? What is the minimum pay now, is the minimum pay amount compulsory to follow or just as a guide? My maid was employed before the minimum wage amount was set hence it was relatively low starting pay (plus she has totally no experience as a maid). If I were to apply the minimum wage amount on her, this would mean a pay rise of about 25%! To be frank, i don't think she deserve such a huge pay rise coz her work attitude still needs a lot of improvement. I wanted to extend her contract because I wanna save the hassle of retraining and eliminate the waiting period. I may just need her for another one year only so renewing her contract is more appropriate than getting a new maid (by default two years contract). Would appreciate comments and advice from you all please. Thanks!

I think:
Just go to MOM website and follow the instructions for renewing the permit yourself eg get insurance, apply to MOM online
If your maid's passport still has another year's validity (since you said you only need her for one more year), you don't need to go to the embassy.
Minimum of $450 for new Indon maids is what the Indon authorities trying to enforce. What you pay to your maid is entirely by agreement between yourself and the maid. Why won't you pay her the $450 at least? She may not be a perfect maid, but she can't be that bad since you would like to renew her contract.
Do you think the new girls coming in on salaries of $450 are all better than her?
Btw, she has working experience as a maid, 1 1/2 yrs of it, in your home. If she were to get a new employer instead of renewing with you, she'll be able to command a salary of $500 at least.

Thks for ur reply and advice Yah agree with u that she shld be paid at least the min pay to be fair to her..frankly I'm still hesitating abt renewing her contract.. since i need to fork out at least $450 (both new or renew old) maybe I shld just get a new maid and start afresh..