Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013?

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:24:15 GMT

Coolkidsrock2 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:24:15 GMT

peapot:
I think I would prefer maid to have fixed working hours eg 7 am to 8pm. After that, they will go back to their hostel to sleep. They can don't work on every Sunday. And employers are not liable to what happen to them after \"office\" hours. The tax levy can be used to pay the hostel instead of paying govt.

I totally support this arrangement and hope there can be such arrangement in Singapore. In Hong Kong, some maids have to rent their own accomodation, normally caged bed space, if their employers do not have space for them. They will then travel to employer's house by public transport.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:22:06 GMT

panickymum — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:22:06 GMT

Coolkidsrock2:
My past maids had been thankful that they had no off days (and their salary goes straight into their bank accounts as I pay for everything) so that they can return home with sufficient savings to buy their house(s), land and/or set up own small business so that they (hopefully) no longer need to work overseas. Some of them had specifically asked to have no off day. With freedom comes responsibility which some maids are not ready for and there may be potential consequences which have to be unfairly borne by employers .

I really envy you of having such maid (neednot off day ). I try not to give them off day but bring them overseas , universal studio , wherever my kids go . But they still want off day .
My ex maid got bf , keep asking advance pay , bring bf to fetch my girls from Sch , threatened them not to tell me etc. all this happen after giving her off day . She used to be a very gd helper .
I wonder can government helps us on these problems ?

Not not we are trying to be bad but there are too many examples !

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:27:41 GMT

MizzNAH — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:27:41 GMT

Haiz, its really a nightmare getting a new maid. I was thinking of getting a new one too. Having previously 9 maids working for me, I must admit that maid now are very much different from 16 years back.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:02:42 GMT

Precious2.012911lee — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:02:42 GMT

I told my maid I could not afford to give her off days. On the other hand, in appreciation of her effort and hard work, I will pay her year end bonus and she will get to travel with us during the school holidays. Anyway, she's totally thrifty and does not mind staying home on weekend. It's a win-win situation for both parties. I am really lucky to have her but when her contract ends next Dec (after working for me for 6 years), she has to return home and get married. With this new ruling, it's going to be a nightmare for me. I read the Singaporemaid blog and after hearing all those feedback from the employers, I know it is getting increasingly tough to get a reasonably \"ok\" maid. What makes the matter worse is that our MOM is not even supporting us!! Recently, my friend applied for a new maid and the agent asked her to select fast as the agency fee (exclude the 7-8 mth salary advancement) is going to be raised to almost $2k by end of this year. If this is true, it's really very ex!! I do not understand why is there a need to pay so much for agency fee?!

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:53:29 GMT

POA Teacher — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:53:29 GMT

peapot:
I think I would prefer maid to have fixed working hours eg 7 am to 8pm. After that, they will go back to their hostel to sleep. They can don't work on every Sunday. And employers are not liable to what happen to them after \"office\" hours. The tax levy can be used to pay the hostel instead of paying govt.

Some people need the maid to sleep in. eg those looking after feeble elderly folks

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:37:46 GMT

peapot — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:37:46 GMT

I think I would prefer maid to have fixed working hours eg 7 am to 8pm. After that, they will go back to their hostel to sleep. They can don’t work on every Sunday. And employers are not liable to what happen to them after "office" hours. The tax levy can be used to pay the hostel instead of paying govt.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:56:56 GMT

matrix0405 — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:56:56 GMT

Next year will be a totally new ball game. Without loan to tie them down and with a day off to learn new tricks, employers be prepared to handle many new patterns from maids.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:38:16 GMT

Minstral — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:38:16 GMT

PhoBIA:

The authorities are only saying they need off days but did they advise these fdws what to do and what not to do? Simply irresponsible remarks just to score points. Didn't spare a thought for the employers.

It's not much use even if the authorities 'advise' them what to do and what not to do. I'm sure many employers advise their maids too (I definitely do) but whether the maids want to listen is another thing. It all boils down to the maid's personality.

In the meantime, I feel that compulsory off-days are necessary. Most of us are already groaning with a 5 day work week and 9 - 6 job. The maids work more days and longer hours and their pay is so little. They deserve a break.

I feel that what the authorities can do is force maid agencies to be more stringent with their selection process, and choose maids based on skills and personality. Of course, this may lead to maid shortage problem.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 07:43:27 GMT

Coolkidsrock2 — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 07:43:27 GMT

My past maids had been thankful that they had no off days (and their salary goes straight into their bank accounts as I pay for everything) so that they can return home with sufficient savings to buy their house(s), land and/or set up own small business so that they (hopefully) no longer need to work overseas. Some of them had specifically asked to have no off day. With freedom comes responsibility which some maids are not ready for and there may be potential consequences which have to be unfairly borne by employers .

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:49:15 GMT

POA Teacher — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:49:15 GMT

Btw, early this year gahment said that they would announce changes regarding maids’ medical expenses and repatriation costs. The scheduled date was July this year, if I remember correctly. It’s Aug now, but still no news.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:51:41 GMT

straffan23 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:51:41 GMT

Well, I actually felt that the punishment for the FDWs moonlighting is too harsh. There are a lot of evil in this world, and I personally feel that moonlighting as a part time cleaner is not one of them! They are just trying to make an honest living, supplementing their income. Many people do this when they are in foreign land. I mean, come on, they could have prostituted their body, stole, rob, etc... they choose to clean toilets for $10/hr. :imanangel:

As for the off-days for FDW, I am in principal not against it because I believe that mental and emotional health is very important to a everyone's well being. Imagine having to eat, live, and sleep with your bosses and their family members all day, all week, all year!! We may be very collegial with our co-workers and bosses, but nothing beats having friends...

That said, I feel that the law is biased. Employers are accountable for their FDWs even on their off-days; so of course we would feel it is not fair. We cannot control what they do; but gahmen say must give off day. Anything go wrong, we P.A.P. and suffer all the inconveniences. Someone commented that having a maid is like having a teenage child - old enough to know what they want but not quite mature and responsible for their actions yet.

Reply to Will there be more such cases w.e.f. 2013? on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:15:56 GMT

PhoBIA — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:15:56 GMT

Just to share, my fdw of 6 yrs was given an off day every month at the beginning of this year after long service.

Last than 6 months she got into serious trouble and get picked up by the police. :slapshead:
We had to make arrangements for our kids to stay over at my mum's place. Go to the cantonment police station, hand over her passport. Go back and pick her up again after 3hours.
Worst of all police investigation concluded that she has to be repatriated. :gloomy:
We had to go down to icac, go back to police station to appeal, return to icac on the next day...
Total ordeal about 3 days of mental torture.

All these occurred because some big shot says they needed off days.... But mine definitely didn't know what to do with her off day and got into serious trouble with the law.
Had it not been for the sake of my children, we would not have gone through the trouble of appealing for her.

The authorities are only saying they need off days but did they advise these fdws what to do and what not to do? Simply irresponsible remarks just to score points. Didn't spare a thought for the employers.

No doubt what they do on their off day is none of the employers business. But when they get into trouble with Sg law, we are still at a losing end...
Our schedules get affected. Our children, elderly gets affected. Employing a new FDW takes time...
Don't forget the agency placement fees, insurance etc and the air ticket to repatriate the old FDW... Lots of $$$ and time involved.