<![CDATA[Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid!]]>Weekly day off policy for maids must be flexible, say stakeholders

05:53 PM Oct 29, 2011

SINGAPORE - Advocacy groups have welcomed the Manpower Ministry's move to study a mandatory weekly day off for maids. But along with employers and maid agencies, they said the policy needs to build in a large degree of flexibility.

Responding to Channel NewsAsia, the ministry said consultation with stakeholders has been on since late last year, and results will be announced in due course. A ministry spokesperson said discussions have included employers, maids, maid agencies and non-governmental organisations.

For the policy to work, one proposal is for the law to protect maids against dismissal and repatriation, when they report an errant employer.

Mr Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migrant Economics, said: \"One of the challenges of facilitating the process of lodging complaints, is that many migrant workers are often afraid of losing their jobs, and that is what keeps them from going to the Ministry of Manpower to complain and to lodge their claims.\"

Mr Wham added: \"The migrant domestic worker should have the right and the opportunity to change her mind, and say that, 'For this particular weekend, I have stuff to do, I would like to have a day off. But maybe next weekend, I consent to working for you on a Sunday.'\"

A ministry spokesman told Channel NewsAsia there are \"comprehensive\" measures to protect a maid under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. He added that \"as a safeguard against employers who attempt to repatriate their foreign domestic workers unfairly, those who are forcefully brought to the airport can seek assistance from Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers, who will redirect them to the ministry to pursue their claims.\"

Mr John Gee, President of Transient Workers Count Too, said the right of the employer to unilaterally send a maid back to her home country should be done away. Instead, he should be required to explain his decision to the Manpower Ministry, and the maid should also be allowed to explain her story. Mr Gee told Channel NewsAsia he had raised the issue to the ministry in the past, but was told it was a \"problem of staffing\".

Maid agencies said the improvement in working conditions could help ease the supply crunch, but working out compensation that is fair to the maid and acceptable to employers, will be tricky.

The standard contract between an employer and a maid currently recommends at least one day off a month, with compensation in-lieu. The going rate is about S$20 for each day off, and some maid agencies have said that if the new law kicks in requiring at least four days off a month, the resulting increase in expense might turn some employers away.

That is because employers often give the minimal one day off each month.

Mr Riza Malawad, operations manager with 9Y2 Employment Services, said: \"It's a little bit too high, to employ a domestic helper and compensate four days off. S$20 times four is S$80, and the current salary is S$400. S$480 can be a little hefty for some families.\"

Mr Peter Loh, Managing Director of Swift Arrow, said so long as employers have the option to pay more instead of granting a day off, \"nothing will change, except that the salary will go up.\" Mr Gee, however, feels that \"Singaporeans might grumble, but if it's the law, people will comply\".

And then there is the issue of what maids do on their days off, a concern often cited by employers as a reason for not allowing them out.

The Church of the Holy Family is one of many organisations that holds classes for maids. Participants pick up a skill, while easing their homesick pangs. To reassure employers, organisers are strict on attendance.

Programme Coordinator Vikki de Jesus, who has been working in Singapore as a maid for 26 years, said she often gets calls from employers checking up on their maids.

She said: \"Some domestic helpers say they can't come, but I ask them to get a letter from the employer, to make sure that the employer asked them not to go. Because I want also to make sure that we are not playing around here... We want the communication between the employer and the helper, that they are really here, in our place, in our skills programme.\"

In Parliament on Oct 20, in a written reply to Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher de Souza, the Manpower Minister acknowledged the need for maids to have a time-out, but said the matter \"requires careful consideration\". CHANNEL NEWSASIA

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111029-0000426/Weekly-day-off-policy-for-maids-must-be-flexible,-say-stakeholders

I think MOM is getting crazy. Since when was employers consulted ?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/27503/your-maid-can-sack-u-but-u-cannot-sack-your-maidRSS for NodeMon, 04 May 2026 21:57:24 GMTSun, 30 Oct 2011 16:02:09 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:51:08 GMT]]>

LKVM:
verykiasu2010:

[quote=\"peapot\"]It's best to send to Straits times forum and get it published. The gov't only read newspaper.


they won't simply publish any negative news / view

my personal experience only

Thats why we come here and rant lor 😆[/quote]a few occasions on different issues, sent letters to forum, they don't publish, but they forward the letters to the one you complain about and have them call you to resolve to avoid embarrassment to the organisation

called the forum editor and understand they also have difficulty pushing the letters to be printed because 'up there' got stoppers

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625384https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625384Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:51:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:18:03 GMT]]>

SMH FOREST:
Busymom:


I am not advocating outsourcing everything to our maids. I don't and I can't, because at the end of the day, I am a meticulous person and no maid can beat me to it, so I end up doing certain things myself...

Exactly, many women have sacrificed their career or at least better progression in their career because of family. Many are glad to do it and have no regrets. But that doesn't mean we should keep quiet and just battle on without taking any issue with the other parts that don't change. With a government who thinks we should constantly be more productive, with a school system which requires parents to be partners and forever getting more competitive, with an employer who can easily find unmarried employees who can work 24/7, the list goes on, and it gets more difficult for the working mothers to find that balance. Eventually, mothers will quit... or have fewer children or none at all. Or migrate, as some friends have chosen to do.

Something will give in the end... like how I could come down twice with HFMD in a matter of a few months when my DD only caught it once from her childcare.

Anyway, I think I OT too much on this thread already and this is actually a separate issue from the topic of the threadstarter.

:goodpost:

OT a little... I am like you... i don't outsource child caring duties to my maid either.. but i need them to be around in case of need.. esp when my job nowadays requires me to attend concalls at night, and hubs may be at work at night on a day or 2 for the week.. and he works most weekends too.. so there are times when i need someone around at home to watch my son while i am locked away in the room attending the concall... or to help out on wkends when needed.

i think there is a great assumption (i dunno why!) that says that whoever have a helper with no off days, it means that the parents outsource the child caring to the helper... u hear it so often and is it really so??

:offtopic: a bit...

I'm like you too. I work from home to spend more time with the kids on their schoolwork, plan activities and chauffeur them to/from school. I need a domestic helper to help with mundane housework, cook (I'm particular on providing homecooked food for the kids), and mind the kids when I need to work or on the phone with clients. The maid is never left alone with the kids at home.

I prefer no off days for maid as I've had bad experience with a previous maid on unfair comparisons, unrealistic expectations and poor attitude after communicating with friends/relatives working here. She was also distracted, spoilt many things in the household and not as careful when minding the kids.

I dare not think what other headaches I'll have when the mandatory weekly off ruling is implemented.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625154https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625154Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:18:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:52:38 GMT]]>

peapot:
It's best to send to Straits times forum and get it published. The gov't only read newspaper.

they won't simply publish any negative news / view

my personal experience only

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625134https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625134Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:52:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:24:07 GMT]]>It’s best to send to Straits times forum and get it published. The gov’t only read newspaper.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625107https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625107Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:24:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:21:14 GMT]]>

LKVM:
gajidouma:

MOM, please leave this to the market and have faith in your citizen that most of us are reasonable and fair employers.


Please take care of those foreign construction workers who work under the scorching sun, long hour, earning peanuts yet need to fork out money for their own food, even accommodation first...they are less fortunate than most of the maids....

Please take care of our own poor old antie and uncles who still have to help out in food courts clearing dishes... FIRST.

Please spare a thought for your hard-working citizens who struggle to strike a balance between work and family life in this fast-paced pressure cooker island.... Very true! I like your post but From the election result, I don't think the gov't is looking into this forum. Best to send to straits time forum and get it published. The gov't only read newspaper only.

Please re-look your list of priority. Please...

:goodpost:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625103https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625103Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:21:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:18:55 GMT]]>

Busymom:

I am not advocating outsourcing everything to our maids. I don't and I can't, because at the end of the day, I am a meticulous person and no maid can beat me to it, so I end up doing certain things myself...

Exactly, many women have sacrificed their career or at least better progression in their career because of family. Many are glad to do it and have no regrets. But that doesn't mean we should keep quiet and just battle on without taking any issue with the other parts that don't change. With a government who thinks we should constantly be more productive, with a school system which requires parents to be partners and forever getting more competitive, with an employer who can easily find unmarried employees who can work 24/7, the list goes on, and it gets more difficult for the working mothers to find that balance. Eventually, mothers will quit... or have fewer children or none at all. Or migrate, as some friends have chosen to do.

Something will give in the end... like how I could come down twice with HFMD in a matter of a few months when my DD only caught it once from her childcare.

Anyway, I think I OT too much on this thread already and this is actually a separate issue from the topic of the threadstarter.
:goodpost:

OT a little... I am like you... i don't outsource child caring duties to my maid either.. but i need them to be around in case of need.. esp when my job nowadays requires me to attend concalls at night, and hubs may be at work at night on a day or 2 for the week.. and he works most weekends too.. so there are times when i need someone around at home to watch my son while i am locked away in the room attending the concall... or to help out on wkends when needed.

i think there is a great assumption (i dunno why!) that says that whoever have a helper with no off days, it means that the parents outsource the child caring to the helper... u hear it so often and is it really so??

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625098https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625098Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:18:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:51:12 GMT]]>

LKVM:
Busymom, I share the same sentiments as you.... sometimes I really feel I am more worked out and stressed than the maid also... and gahman should really find a better solution than this...


And like you I am sure gahman dont want many woman sacrifice their career cause of maids right...
No, they don't. Different parts say different things at different time. At the end of the day, nothing changes and we just have to make do with whatever we can.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625074https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625074Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:51:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:43:58 GMT]]>

nms1:
Busymom - I think the reality is that we do have to make sacrifices when we have children and unfortunately a heavier burden usually falls on the women.


I have friends in the UK who have children but with no maids they have no choice but to work part-time and pay for holiday clubs during the school holidays. We are actually very lucky that many of us can continue to work full-time. I know that I could have progressed further in my career if I had put in longer hours etc but I choose to leave work at 6pm every day to spend a few hours with my children. I have been approached for some positions which I have turned down because I can see that long hours would be expected.

My m-i-l probably would stay later if I asked her but I don't believe it is her job or my maid's. We really cannot expect, and shouldn't really want to, hand over the upbringing of our children to someone else and it is really the employers who need to change their attitudes just as much as the government to enable us to have the balance that you mention. In the meantime we have to battle on but I don't believe that we should be outsourcing everything to our maids in the meantime.
I am not advocating outsourcing everything to our maids. I don't and I can't, because at the end of the day, I am a meticulous person and no maid can beat me to it, so I end up doing certain things myself...

Exactly, many women have sacrificed their career or at least better progression in their career because of family. Many are glad to do it and have no regrets. But that doesn't mean we should keep quiet and just battle on without taking any issue with the other parts that don't change. With a government who thinks we should constantly be more productive, with a school system which requires parents to be partners and forever getting more competitive, with an employer who can easily find unmarried employees who can work 24/7, the list goes on, and it gets more difficult for the working mothers to find that balance. Eventually, mothers will quit... or have fewer children or none at all. Or migrate, as some friends have chosen to do.

Something will give in the end... like how I could come down twice with HFMD in a matter of a few months when my DD only caught it once from her childcare.

Anyway, I think I OT too much on this thread already and this is actually a separate issue from the topic of the threadstarter.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625068https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625068Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:43:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:18:27 GMT]]>Busymom - I think the reality is that we do have to make sacrifices when we have children and unfortunately a heavier burden usually falls on the women.


I have friends in the UK who have children but with no maids they have no choice but to work part-time and pay for holiday clubs during the school holidays. We are actually very lucky that many of us can continue to work full-time. I know that I could have progressed further in my career if I had put in longer hours etc but I choose to leave work at 6pm every day to spend a few hours with my children. I have been approached for some positions which I have turned down because I can see that long hours would be expected.

My m-i-l probably would stay later if I asked her but I don’t believe it is her job or my maid’s. We really cannot expect, and shouldn’t really want to, hand over the upbringing of our children to someone else and it is really the employers who need to change their attitudes just as much as the government to enable us to have the balance that you mention. In the meantime we have to battle on but I don’t believe that we should be outsourcing everything to our maids in the meantime.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625033https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/625033Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:18:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:35:16 GMT]]>

nms1:
Busymom:



Actually for most of us, if there is work to be done for office, we continue to do them from home even during weekends. There is not even OT pay! Remember that there had been some writeups in Straits Times in the past about how Singaporeans are even working on blackberries while on vacation? That is the reality of working life in Singapore, otherwise there won't be so many Singaporeans migrating or thinking of migrating to other more laid-back countries so as to get better work life balance.

I don't think we can compare ourselves working \"unpaid\" OT to a maid. We are earning a lot more than $400/month and are under a complete different kind of work contract and scenario. As a manager and a so-called PMET I expect that as part of my job. A maid should be compared to hourly workers such as cleaners not office workers.

My point is not to compare our job as PMET with their job as a domestic worker. It is about work life balance here (or maybe the lack of it that makes it difficult for young families with no extended family support to cope without the domestic help). My point is that MOM is only looking at one small part of the whole system and trying to tweak it without looking or realising that there has to be a more holistic way of dealing with this. Many of the people I know who have migrated to Australia mainly because of work life balance issues here are coping well there with no domestic help. They all had to have maids here, because they finished their work so late every night or had to taobao work home during weekends. Which childcare centre here is able to cater for that? In Australia however, these same friends went on to have 4 kids even, much to our amazement and shock :yikes: something that would never have happened if they continued to stay here.

So if I am a working mother and unfortunately had to work on a Sunday, but have no alternative childcare for my young children, who do I naturally turn to? My domestic helper! If we do not have work life balance for ourselves, how do we give that to our domestic helpers? If the employers of PMET do not have the mindset to respect their staff's off day, how to expect the same staff to respect the off day of their domestic helper?

Looking at myself for the last 7 years since I have my first child, if I have never employed a maid to look after her, I wouldn't have progressed to where I am in my career today. It has taken many years of long hours of working through late nights including weekends. So is the alternative to give this up and be contented with a 9-5 job that will pay only a fraction?

I would believe from a income tax angle, our government would rather that mothers like me don't quit working.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624282https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624282Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:35:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:48 GMT]]>Yes, I will ensure my child has no domestic help next time…everything DIY…that is the only way to go… First they learn more than just studies and they grow up as more responsible adults. All this live-in domestic help is over-rated for a normal able-bodied family, the demands were created so that the supplies could come.


The more children, the better to train. That was how I
grew up fiercely independent and have good sense of directions.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624232https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624232Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:59:25 GMT]]>

Chu Liu Xiang:
LOLMum:

the size and type of property has nothing to do with the salary.


So I'll take $450 and do housework for a HDB single storey flat while you get $400 for a 3-storey private house. How about that?

Isn't salary paid should commensurate with the difficulty level and the amount of work to be done? Otherwise on what criteria do you pay her?

🤷

If I were a helper, I might take the latter if there are no kids and elderly to look after and I am relatively free most of the day. Better than working from morning till midnight and sleeping on a thin mattress in the living room, and having an ah-ma nagging you during your waking moments.

From what my helper tells me, the experienced ones do look at the 'whole picture'. It's not only just about money.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624230https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624230Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:59:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:53:28 GMT]]>

Jennifer:
I think it is time we examine if we can lessen our reliance on foreign domestic helpers. Behind the doors, we do not know if S'pore is being held at the mercy of a particular domestic helpers export country.


Train our children to be more independent, organised, tidy & help around the house more often. Many modern cooking appliances makes cooking easier & safer. It is wiser to toughen our future generation.

For those families who need sb to look after the elderly, I guess it is really limited choices.
I so agree.

Our own children will probably not have helpers to look after their own homes and kids. We must teach them how to take care of themselves.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624220https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624220Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:53:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:43:38 GMT]]>MOM, please leave this to the market and have faith in your citizen that most of us are reasonable and fair employers.


Please take care of those foreign construction workers who work under the scorching sun, long hour, earning peanuts yet need to fork out money for their own food, even accommodation first…they are less fortunate than most of the maids…

Please take care of our own poor old antie and uncles who still have to help out in food courts clearing dishes… FIRST.

Please spare a thought for your hard-working citizens who struggle to strike a balance between work and family life in this fast-paced pressure cooker island…

Please re-look your list of priority. Please…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624160https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/624160Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:43:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:28:21 GMT]]>

peapot:
These days, it's maid's that fire employers and not the other way round. Remember??

that is why the title of this thread 🤷 :evil: :stompfeet: :frustrated: :stupid: :slapshead: :mad: :rant: :gloomy:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623918https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623918Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:28:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:42:29 GMT]]>

nms1:

I don't think we can compare ourselves working \"unpaid\" OT to a maid. We are earning a lot more than $400/month and are under a complete different kind of work contract and scenario. As a manager and a so-called PMET I expect that as part of my job. A maid should be compared to hourly workers such as cleaners not office workers.

I do agree r.e. the existing maid contracts and days off. If MOM implements compulsory days off then it should be for new contracts only. Of course there will be a number of maids who will see it as an opportunity to negotiate for more or to try to transfer but it would not be fair on the employer to suddenly have to increase the salary by $50 or even $100/month. That's a 12%-25% increase on a $400 salary!
The gov don't bother as long as their bottomline is not affected. They can come up with all sorts of day-offs and compensation thing and it's you who's going to pay for them at the end of the day.

See. They come out with ideas and you pay for them.

😆

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623722https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623722Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:42:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:13:11 GMT]]>

Busymom:
nms1:

[quote=\"genmai\"]If it's implemented, employers will have to work around the maid's schedule and pay more if the maid is so kind to 'consent' working that weekend! :siao: How many of us have this flexibility with our own employer? :mad:

If the contract states that they don't have to work on Sundays then it's not really like we are working around their schedule. We know that they don't work that day and arrange things accordingly. It all depends on how the contract is worded. For other jobs it will be the same - you can be asked to come into work on certain days outside of your normal working hours and will be compensated. The question is whether the contract gives them the right to refuse or not.

I agree with one of the other posters that, like it or not, this is going to happen. The word is slowly being leaked out in traditional Singapore fashion before the official announcement is made.

My husband mentioned to me last night that we should give our maid a raise and I warned him that now may not be a good time as we could find ourselves having to pay her more pretty soon to compensate for the 2 Sundays that she isn't off as I'm sure she won't want to take them.

Actually for most of us, if there is work to be done for office, we continue to do them from home even during weekends. There is not even OT pay! Remember that there had been some writeups in Straits Times in the past about how Singaporeans are even working on blackberries while on vacation? That is the reality of working life in Singapore, otherwise there won't be so many Singaporeans migrating or thinking of migrating to other more laid-back countries so as to get better work life balance.

On the compensation for off-days - if this is implemented across the board, it can be unfair to those who have changed maids recently. All the experienced maids now asking for 4 off days. If what was finally agreed between the maid and the employer is not 4 days but 2 days, the pay would already have taken that into consideration. For eg, if I am agreeable to give the maid 4 days off, her pay would have been $450. However, since I could not, I agree to pay her $500 instead. If a few months later, this rule gets implemented, I may end up having to pay $540? Kinda get caught at both ends because of the unfortunate timing, right? :stupid:[/quote]I don't think we can compare ourselves working \"unpaid\" OT to a maid. We are earning a lot more than $400/month and are under a complete different kind of work contract and scenario. As a manager and a so-called PMET I expect that as part of my job. A maid should be compared to hourly workers such as cleaners not office workers.

I do agree r.e. the existing maid contracts and days off. If MOM implements compulsory days off then it should be for new contracts only. Of course there will be a number of maids who will see it as an opportunity to negotiate for more or to try to transfer but it would not be fair on the employer to suddenly have to increase the salary by $50 or even $100/month. That's a 12%-25% increase on a $400 salary!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623689https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623689Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:13:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:59:56 GMT]]>These days, it’s maid’s that fire employers and not the other way round. Remember??

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623669https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623669Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:59:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:39:43 GMT]]>My friend sent her maid off recently. She had been informed by a neighbour that the maid had brought her bangla bf into the house while she (boss) was on holiday!

So, in future, we may not be able to just send them off like that if they create a fuss at the airport?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623656https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623656Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:39:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:41:01 GMT]]>

nms1:
genmai:

If it's implemented, employers will have to work around the maid's schedule and pay more if the maid is so kind to 'consent' working that weekend! :siao: How many of us have this flexibility with our own employer? :mad:

If the contract states that they don't have to work on Sundays then it's not really like we are working around their schedule. We know that they don't work that day and arrange things accordingly. It all depends on how the contract is worded. For other jobs it will be the same - you can be asked to come into work on certain days outside of your normal working hours and will be compensated. The question is whether the contract gives them the right to refuse or not.

I agree with one of the other posters that, like it or not, this is going to happen. The word is slowly being leaked out in traditional Singapore fashion before the official announcement is made.

My husband mentioned to me last night that we should give our maid a raise and I warned him that now may not be a good time as we could find ourselves having to pay her more pretty soon to compensate for the 2 Sundays that she isn't off as I'm sure she won't want to take them.

Actually for most of us, if there is work to be done for office, we continue to do them from home even during weekends. There is not even OT pay! Remember that there had been some writeups in Straits Times in the past about how Singaporeans are even working on blackberries while on vacation? That is the reality of working life in Singapore, otherwise there won't be so many Singaporeans migrating or thinking of migrating to other more laid-back countries so as to get better work life balance.

On the compensation for off-days - if this is implemented across the board, it can be unfair to those who have changed maids recently. All the experienced maids now asking for 4 off days. If what was finally agreed between the maid and the employer is not 4 days but 2 days, the pay would already have taken that into consideration. For eg, if I am agreeable to give the maid 4 days off, her pay would have been $450. However, since I could not, I agree to pay her $500 instead. If a few months later, this rule gets implemented, I may end up having to pay $540? Kinda get caught at both ends because of the unfortunate timing, right? :stupid:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623568https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623568Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:41:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:20:06 GMT]]>

Chu Liu Xiang:
LOLMum:

[quote=\"Chu Liu Xiang\"]So I'll take $450 and do housework for a HDB single storey flat while you get $400 for a 3-storey private house. How about that?


Isn't salary paid should commensurate with the difficulty level and the amount of work to be done? Otherwise on what criteria do you pay her?

🤷

\"how about that\"? well, certainly dont sound friendly.

salary guidelines are set by the respective embassies and maid agencies. salary for the maid is stated clearly in the bio data in the maid agency. nothing is mentioned about housing type or how the level of difficulty in job scope being tied to the salary. are employers allow to bargain or ask for discount? i highly doubt so.

if you have any issue with it, deal directly with the respecitve embassies and maid agencies.

So far, except for the Filo maids, I doubt other embassies have set a minimum salary for their maids.

No, I'm not saying employers are asking for discount. What I was saying is that employers should pay their maid in accordance to the difficulty level of the job and the amount of work to be done.

Maids are not stupid. They talk and compare. I know of a case whereby the maid left a 8-member family after her 1st contract even with counteroffer of $450 then. She prefers to work for an expat for $500 with more freedom.

If I were her I'll also leave. Why struggle under a 8-member family with a lower salary, right?

:xedfingers:[/quote]Actually, you don't need to worry for them. I have seen many transfer maids in the last few years. If the job is too tough like having 8 members in the family, or if there are elders who are difficult or too naggy, the maids would look for alternatives. The smart ones will look for those where both parents are working and there are no other old folks at home... 😂 Now with supply so tight, even easier to go for transfer.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623566https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623566Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:20:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:59:12 GMT]]>

verykiasu2010:
LOLMum:

salary, job scope, day off and use of handphone should be clearly spelt out too. but would it work especially on the use of handphone?


she can always put on silent mode, in her pocket 24/7, pretend go to toilet and use it there even if you are watching ..... wat can you do ? worse when you are not around

That's right. My first maid who was taking care of my newborn was not supposed to have one and the agent actually confiscated her phone on the first day, stating no HP in the contract. Yet, she secretly got one on her own without letting us know.

For my current one who is sleeping with my daughter in her room, we asked her not to bring in her phone into the room. Or at least switch it off. Even that, she refused, when she already has the whole day to the phone with little restriction! :stupid:

I think one fine day, I am going to sack her...

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623565https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623565Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:59:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:55:34 GMT]]>

LOLMum:
salary, job scope, day off and use of handphone should be clearly spelt out too. but would it work especially on the use of handphone?

she can always put on silent mode, in her pocket 24/7, pretend go to toilet and use it there even if you are watching ..... wat can you do ? worse when you are not around

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623531https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623531Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:55:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid! on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:06:59 GMT]]>salary, job scope, day off and use of handphone should be clearly spelt out too. but would it work especially on the use of handphone?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623484https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623484Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:06:59 GMT