Domestic maid's off day

W

wintersg

Member
How is your life after weekly off became effective from Jan 2013?
Did your old system maid (FDW) pester you for weekly off?
Were you being threatened with 'I want a transfer, other people have off days, why I don't have'?

Giving maids off days is like giving them a higher pay and taking in more risks.
Note: giving higher salary doesn't mean the maid quality has or will become better. The fact is FDWs' service quality have deteriorated every time there's a salary adjustment, if you had compared with previous years (2010 to now).

Due to higher salary offered, more unsuitable FDWs are flocking to Spore to give us problems. They flew to enjoy life, not really to work as a domestic maid but to take full advantage of the loopholes created by MOM.... don't want to miss the boat!

With weekly off days, FDW is more prone to get bad influence and waste her money outside. Can employers avoid and minimise our losses? NO! MOM and those people fighting for human rights will not allowed. Even if employers compensated maids for no weekly off, those self righteous people can still hammer you. To them, you are BAD, no reason accepted. You deprived your maid an weekly off day to rest and mix outside... her entitlement, her human rights, you shouldn't even compensated her unless she requested to stay home for a higher salary. Self righteous people say maids with no off days are slaves!!

Employers are made to face more liabilities. If maid moonlights during off days eg work part time or prostitutes, the employer gets punished by MOM and loss money. Nobody will pity the Employer who has to find another FDW, waste money on agency fee and re-train another maid.

If maid gets pregnant or killed by lover, the employer gets punished by MOM and loss money again. If maid envies others who had better benefits and starts to act naughty so that employer can release her for new employment, can you stop her? No, MOM and those people fighting for human rights will not allowed.

If maid has completed her loan, her behaviour is really bad and you don't mind buying her a one way air ticket home ... do it! Kick her out of Spore, don't let rotten apples stay in Spore. You're helping your fellow countryman.

If you think the cost of airfare is expensive, think of the days she has to spend at her agency, $15 to $20 per day (estimate 2 weeks) of no work and this additional costs does not include levy. Your liabilities for that FDW will only end when her work permit is terminated. As long as she remains in Spore, be it housed in agency, embassy or HOME, you're still the FDW's legal guardian ie ATM machine! The fastest way to end your responsibility and security bond discharged is to get her on a plane and say good bye to that rotten apple!

It is not advisable to give maid any termination notice. Sounds cruel? Wait till she runs away and then you're faced with a bigger problem or a shit hole to fill, you'll blame yourself for being too kind and soft-hearted. You can pray hard that maid will appreciate you, will not come up with any dirty tricks nor take revenge during the notice period, go ahead and be an angel. Nobody stopping you to try your luck, do a test of human cruelty.

I have no problem giving off days because I want my FDW to know that I can survive without her. Her services are required only when I'm working. If I want to cook but lazy to wash the dishes, do a takeaway. No point insist I must have home cook food and make myself tied in the kitchen. If your hubby doesn't mind share the chores or washing, go ahead and cook. If employers can't lift your fingers to change diaper for your own kids or can't stand them circling around you, I've nothing to say. My girl has disability, unable to talk to me but I love her a lot, I don't mind taking care of her during FDW's off days. I enjoyed my girl's presence. That's why, when my ex-maid didn't take good care of her, it really made me heartache to see bruises and my girl's resistance, I cannot pretend I didn't see and let my girl end up severely hurt. Everyday, I brought a heavy heart to work. Everyday, I worried what's going to happen next.

<font color="0000ff">Anyway, no maid/human is perfect but FDW (any employee) can be a good helper if she's willing to change and become one.</font> Hope my current filipino FDW can become a good helper soon. My energy level is getting lower. No stamina to endure or fight with strong oppposition and a Spore govt who is so interested to protect maids and maid agencies. Our voices are simply too weak to be noticed! Non FDW's employers/self righteous people are not keen to understand my situation.

The reason why I want my FDW to go on weekly off days is that I don't want my girl to be her trump card. I don't want my maid to think she knows my girl better than me, can take care of her better than her mother or we're totally helpless without a maid!

Maid has to know she will not be upgraded as a family member. No maid will stay with you forever, no matter how nice you've treated her! Her real family is not here, she'll miss them, you cannot replace her family ties! They tend to take things for granted, unappreciative.

Read my blog: Domestic Maid's Employer

If you've better options, don't employ a domestic maid. Having a maid won't make you less stress. If you're leaving your children alone with maid and has no other adult supervision, think twice.

If you want an obedient maid, take a fresh maid who knows she has no weekly off. Such stay-home maid will be less polluted. If she can mix with the neighbourhood maids at playground, market or childcare centre, she will be influenced.
 


Hi Winter, I could fully empathize with you. I let go of my ex-maid who had worked with me for 4 years when her contract ended in Jan. She owned multiple HPs, smart phones and even a laptop. On top of weekly sunday off, she thought it was her human rights to be on the phone, sms, FB at all hours of the day and night. She would keep pausing to check her HP or yak away while doing ironing, washing dishes, mopping the floor etc.

If I add up the total time she actually spent on doing any real work, it would not have been more than 3 hours a day. My kids attend full day CC, so she just need to do basic housework. Yet, she had became so lazy even to neglect even most basic of chores, leaving my house more filthy than before I had helper. She had her own room and instead of resting at night, she would be chatting and skyping with men the whole night! And then constantly doze off during the day! Of course, not to mention all the issues of arrogance, attitude problems, lots of men calling her up (she's already mother of 3 kids for goodness sake!).

With her around, no matter how mad or frustrated, I also got to swallow and act nice to her for fear that she would take revenge on my kids. I'm now without maid and so much less mental stress, even if more busy with housework.
 
Really sad..we trust them again n again n they lied..tell me it their cousin sister turned out unrelated..say call uncle turned out their bf..n they just arrive Singapore... What quality is this??
 
I give day off n.u want.meet bf..you are here to work..if u hv bf how to concentrate especially tske care yg kids
 
Dear all

Government just doesn't want to look at us and understand employing a maid is to cope with Spore high living standards. How to survive if there's no dual income? How to manage a household when our salary is so low? To work, some women need to employ FDW. It is a neccessity, not luxury.

I don't want to leave my girl with FDW if there's a special needs daycare centre for multiple disabilities.

Cost to hire a Fresh Filipino. This calculation is based on Philippines Embassy's intention (click: filipino maid) to make Sg employers pay more, suffer more yet didn't get better maid service. The Philippine government wants Singapore employers to bear its domestic workers' placement fees, which on average cost $2,000 or four months' salary. It wants to prevent filipino maids from paying this.

Fresh Filipino maid has nothing to lose. Anything unhappy, employer kiss good-bye to all the money invested, nothing to tie FDWs down. Filipinos fly to Spore completely no loan, no burden so not required to commit and do a good job! Encouraged to run or behave badly at employers' expense.... legally protected leeches!

Description - employer's spending Monthly:
Fresh Inexperience filipino FDW's Salary = S$500.0 (minimum salary - Philippines embassy asked for US$400)

Weekly off days by law, year 2013 = $76.9 (based on 26 working days, giving 4 off day is worth $77)

Spore Agency fee $2288, based on 12months (low FDW retention*) = $190.7 (Agencies claimed they must follow Philippines embassy, don't want to be banned, employer pays placement fee, maid no loan)

Agencies still charging $588 to $1688 agency fee + maid loan but if MOM continues to support source country, we may end up paying above $2000 as placement fee so that filipinos have no maid loan. Agency fee non-refundable, no replacement FDW. Using existing sytem, maid loan is about 8 months salary

$367.05 Medical &amp; insurance + bond = $61.2 (divided by 6 months. FDW Insurance has no refund value after FDW worked 6 months/above 181 days) Most people didn't know maid insurance is eaten after 6 months, no refund value for a 2-year policy.

Half yearly medical test, MOM's requirement = $6.50 (based on 24 months, FDW pregnancy and health check-up)

3 meals, same as employer = $312.0 (based on 26 working days)

FDW Levy = $170.0 (usual is $265)

Settling (SIP) course = $7.4 ($89, based on 12month, low FDW retention rate)

Accommodation, Utilities, laundry and bathroom facilities = $400.0 (based on twin-sharing room rental. A single common room rental is about $800 per month)

Medical, sundries, transport, pillow, mattress, bedsheet, etc = $20.0

15 days Home Leave after 2year contract = $12.0 (Use 24 months to save and pay FDW home leave)

Return air ticket cost minimum $500, after 2year contract = $20.8 (Use 24 months to save and pay FDW home leave)

<font color="ff0000">Employer pays S$1,701.50. </font>
This is what Employer forks out each month, excluding $76 weekly off.

Is it dirt cheap to hire a domestic maid (FDW) in Spore?
<font size="+2">Is it fair to make us pay all the live-in expenses and costs imposed by MOM but quality of FDWs kept detoriorating?</font>


* <font color="0000ff">low FDW retention means FDW worked just a few months, very often less than one year and was transferred out</font>. I would believe most employers prefer to keep their FDWs so as not to incurr losses and waste their time spent to train FDWs. Not many Sg employers are rich stay-home women, can afford the costs and time (take annual leave). When a FDW is really lousy, unwilling to work then FDW has to be sent back to maid agency. No such thing as employer gets free replacement. Each replacement is not really free and you don't get a suitable maid sourced by the same agency (you can afford to wait 1 to 3 months?) so don't be cheated by such gimmick, look at the terms and conditions before you pay full. Most agents just want to rush you to sign the papers and didn't let you read the contract properly, said you can read at home ... too late to regret if terms are unfavourable.

Fresh Filipino FDW's take home pay each month is S$500. Not required to pay anything or really affected by Spore high cost of living. This amount excludes what FDW spends during weekly off days.

Maids can find 'sponsors' to pay so that she can have $500 untouched. Just need to learn from other experienced/polluted maids, they don't mind show newbies the ropes.

Spent about S$1,701.50 each month to employ a live-in maid, is this really cheap? You don't feel the pinch? MOM inviting leeches to feed on our blood, no effective policy has been rolled out to reduce our liabilities and risks due to maid's mandatory off days. Why foreigners are treated better then us? Thought we are also human beings? Where are our human rights?

Our local cleaners, earning only S$800 to $1000/month are making honest living, slog long hours doing manual work. Whereas, the FDW-fake princess flew into Spore to sponge on their employers, looking for a good &amp; easy life, portrayed themselves as lowly paid maids, felt they are slaves and not humanly treated.

Were FDWs treated better in their own country, by their own government? If their govt can pay them S$450 to $600 a month, why are they flying to Spore to work as domestic helpers? Their govt don't encourage them to lead a good sexual life .... they come to Sg to let loose their mind and body?

The cost of living is different. Whatever maids earned, they mostly bring home and use in their own countries, a place with a much lower cost of living. The money they bring home after a 2-year contract, (provided they are not spendthrift) could make them as the most welcomed family member, earning the most! FDWs did a comparison before flying into Spore, nobody forced them to board the plane, step into Spore and claim they are underpaid or work like slaves!

If FDW is paid S$900 per month and allowed to live-out by law, that means maid pays her own living expenses such as food, transport, accommodation, levy, insurance, agency fee, etc (see above costing) …. sounds good? Salary is similiar to our local cleaner.

Maids and agencies need to learn to behave, act responsibly and don't cheat employers.

<font color="0000ff">I would like to have a live-out maid if MOM removes all the liabilities on me, let maids live-out, enjoy weekly off days and let them manage their own cost of living in Spore, let them regret for not being appreciative.</font> Let FDWs see what kind of good lives they had as live-in FDWs …. those who have poor working mentality, took employer’s kindness and leniency for granted.

It may sounds like I'm going to work harder after work and on weekends but think positive, look at the liabilities reduced if live-out option is allowed by MOM.

Think of the regrets FDWs would have and not given any chance to eat us. Think of firing a bad maid home, no need to tolerate their nonsense if there's no maid loan ... all FDWs have to settle their own loan and insurance.
 
I grew up with 1 maid, she was employed by my mom for 12yr until i entered secondary school.

I'm 31yo, currently hiring a 40yo maid (started in Sep 2012) to look after my dogs, clean the house, cook dinner. Pretty simple job i must say but no, i'm not doing all these myself.

Looking around my neighborhood at people around my age or in their late 30s, early 40s with 2-4kids, house of my size having 1maid. I see them abuse their maid, restricting their food, not providing them a bedroom (not even storeroom to sleep), not allowing them to step out of the house (unless to throw rubbish), paid $460-500 new contract but no day off.

What do most women of my age think of their maids? Maids = slaves?

My family has hired maids and drivers for more than 100years. In fact, we address our black and white AhMahs as Popos and their children as AhYi. My father, uncles and aunties each have their own nanny when they grew up and yes this is in Singapore in the 1940-50s and they entered 2 kindergartens at that point of time. I still call my maid Aunty even though she's only slightly older than me.

Do Singaporeans know how much a maid has to borrow from loan sharks or their relatives to pay for training cost to come to Singapore?

I also do not understand why maids have to wash cars. We own 4cars and our maid doesn't wash any of our cars simply because there are professional car washers to do the job.

We have 3dogs but our maid doesn't bath any of our dogs because there are professional groomers to wash and blow them every week.

Have anyone thought? What if Singapore is like any Caucasian countries where live-in maids are illegal and you have to resort to hire a nanny at $800 a month (no washing and cleaning only cooking for 1 toddler) and $750 a part time cleaner (no washing of clothes and ironing) to come twice a week and mind you, these are in USD

Quality of maids = quality of employer.
Have anyone of you asked yourself? Are you a good employer? A maid is a human being and not a robot. She has a family and naturally would feel concern about her family back home. if you do not allow her to use the phone then provide her a laptop, teach her how to use facebook and skype which helps her reduce her handphone cost. Do you also know that if your maid communicates with her family daily she will not feel so lonely and won't find a bf? I provided a laptop for my maid on her first day of work and she learn to research new recipes every week. And yes, we also paid for her $700 dental for brand new dentures. We have a money jar at home where she's free to use it for lunch or dinner if we are not coming home for dinner but we have not seen her abuse this. We encourage her to cook every sundays with her sister and bring food out to picnic (to cut down cost of dining outside). And yes, we do live 20k watches lying aorund in the house and when we can't remember where we left it, she will scurry around to search for it. When the weather is too hot, she is also allowed to use the aircon, in fact, we realized she hardly uses it.

My greatgrandmother always say, your maid is what she is by how you treat them.
 
<font size="-2">donkey ears (pantieileen)
"We own 4cars and our maid doesn't wash any of our cars simply because there are professional car washers to do the job.

We have 3dogs but our maid doesn't bath any of our dogs because there are professional groomers to wash and blow them every week."</font>

You are defined as RICH and DESIRABLE EMPLOYER!
Many FDWs would want to work for you, very generous, not much work to do in your house, plenty time to use laptop, etc.

I am not rich and earning a lot to own a car, spend on yearly vacation out of Spore nor can have a pet. Employing a maid to me, is a necessity and I believe I'm not the only 'poor employer' here. Being 'poor' doesn't mean we treat our FDWs badly. We provide the basic live-in conditions and expenses as per MOM law, see above.

Being an employer of good quality certainly do not mean you'll get a good quality maid. She is herself, employer do not own her, you cannot assume FDW will be appreciative and deliver quality work. Who says you're extra nice to FDW, she has to repay your kindness and work well for 2 years? My experience in hiring transfer maids didn't prove that. You can spend some time to read by blog. I certainly don't have your good luck and solid financial status.

Are maids really slaves?
If they felt they are slaves, not well fed and they can live better in their own countries, why fly to Spore to eat our money? Why spend money as loan to feed the agencies? Used S$2000-3000 to come to Spore is a small amount to them?

If you're using USD to compare, first of all, any American want to fly to work as FDW? Secondly, USA is not an approved source country so your apple to strawberry comparison is inaccurate. To be fair to us, you should do an apple to apple comparison, not forgetting the living standards in Spore and source country (where FDWs spend the money).
 
Winter: I agree w you. I actually would like the live-out option w the helper like an employee too. I think it's fair for both parties. It's just too much responsibilities on a employer to ensure good behaviour on the part of an employee; including watching out that she don't mix w some guys and get pregnant. As an employee, she gets to live her life as she wants and be responsible for herself. This is the right model. I have a Filipino colleague who hires a fellow Filipino and even she says that she has to keep reminding her helper why she is here. This is a sharing from someone w the same culture and home country so we are on the right track; not just a Singaporean employer's headache. We had a helper and only after she left, we realise some things missing at home. It was not ex but sentimental in value. Upsetting.

Donkey ears: glad that u have gotten a good helper.
 
Chris (reddesk)
My PR filipino colleagues also had their share of problem with their filipino maids. They gave me advice on how to manage a filipino maid. All I can tell them is maid choose me, I can't choose because I want a willing party who truly agrees to work for me, look after my girl with a good heart. Hand pick somebody and then give her a chance to say forced to work for me is something I can't afford ... no time to re-train nor pick up the monetary losses.

Hope MOM will allow us to have live-out maid with all responsibilities on maid, herself! FDWs have to learn to grow up, be sensible, pay for their own actions.
 
Winter: I am supportive of this and I do also hope our govt will adopt this. It settles the govt requirements for the helper and also for us and gives the freedom to the helper. It's the best solution.

*i am amazed how u did all those calculations. Maybe those calculation helps one think carefully that it might be better to put a child in childcare and get a part-time cleaner!
 
@Winter : "If you're using USD to compare, first of all, any American want to fly to work as FDW? Secondly, USA is not an approved source country so your apple to strawberry comparison is inaccurate."

The rates i quoted in USA are actual 2013 rates in New York, similar big city as Singapore and for DongBei Nanny and Latino/Pinoy part time cleaner. So ya, that's your rate for live out helper overseas.

Point is, in Singapore we are blessed to even get external help. Any employer who respect their maids as another human being would be returned.

I simply do not understand employers who's point was "Maid going out = finding bf. Talk to their friends = learn bad habits"
From another perspective, my maid was also new and we paid her sister $10/hour to train her during her 1st 2days. So maids do teach each other how new appliances help their work, how certain detergents are better than other brands.

Yes, in fact we ensure that our family maids are sisters, cousins so they are from the same clan, have certain min pay so yes, they compare but they also provide support for each other.

If we as employers learn to be less fussy, looking for the perfect maid (there isn't any) then we will all live happily ever after.

And yes, our tenant is Filipino and they also have a fellow Filipino live in maid and in fact she taught my maid which market around my area is better to shop for ingredients etc. So my point is, i also know Pinoy families with pinoy maids, Indo-chinese family with indo maid.
 
Do you know I trustedmy helper..home dicke let her call a cousin which she claim is her mother sister daughter but turned out to be a maid she knew n not a cousin at all..y lie?? Told me dad brother im Singapore nmum say to call him often...turned out to be bf!! I dun care if you are taking care of old kids that

can fend for themselves..but I have 3 kids sahm..kids do fall sick n I need bring dr e
 
If u can lie on such things how can I ever trust you..leave you alone with kids?? It the lying..n it is a not luxury to hv a maid but necessity when u hv special needs kids..i dun hv cctv...y..so if I see u doing what you should not do..can I fire you..u cant choose maids.they choosee..hse small kids in cc but 3 kids n they say thank you!! 3 dogs maybe..3 kids ...no...n I am at home!!.. So I caught u stealing report u..i need change new maid n who pays the agt fee insurance loan n admin fees to get new maid??? Me..so I m punished again so I give chances..n again m again..
 
BTW, local live out help does exist in Singapore. I know of expat family with such help to look after 2kids, does not include cleaning of the house but include cooking and they cost easily $1600 onwards. Bring toddler to playgroup, entertain baby at home. My expat french friend lives in Jurong West and of coz the aunty helper stays around the area, comes in around 7.30am, leaves at 7pm when his wife returns home.
 
Really we luv kids n we wld rather be the sole caregivers but unless u hv gd support hv oneor two cos 3...is tough especially when one parent has to wk n the other alone to take care
 
Donkey ears..not many local can afford the local helpers..i also wdr how pple from some ctries can afford to hv so many kids n cope alone..but I do know my hb has to wk longer hrs compared to them....n yes their kids dun need to study so hard too...no need tuition play n play..but we here mums hv to give spelling teach..n cook...they eat pizza n bottle food..
 
I used to think the same too. If we treat maid well, they will be appreciative &amp; treat us well too.. So when I employed my very 1st indo maid in 2011 while preggie with no 2, I treated her just like a family member of ours. Allow her to use hp, chat with new frds, watch tv for long hours, have our meals together, even dun mind to put our laundry together in washer, bought her new clothings, white gold jewelleries, digital camera on occasions, etc. (we are from low-middle income family) My this ex maid's past employers had never allow her to use hp in the past. So after having us as employers whom treated her like a princess more than a maid, she became another person. Not respectful to us anymore, always on the phone, SMS all the time, spent more than usual time outside. We just tolerated all these till we found that she neglected our baby.

I told her off finally &amp; she gave me black face, tried to argue &amp; ignored me totally when I tried to talk to her. Ok, I think I better stop all these nonsense. Y should i see her 'nian she' when we are the one paying her? I better take care of my kids, household all my myself and get her transferred to my friend whom need one urgently &amp; doesn't mind of her pattern after telling her. And paying her $500 so my ex maid happily agreed to be transferred. My frd is strict and will ' train' her unlike me, very 'chin chai' type. So this maid is my first &amp; last maid. I will not employ maid anymore as I know I m not suitable to be one. Now my friend had updated me of the maid will be leaving her soon. Getting from bad to worst. Had a bf outside now.
 
Hi Donkey ears, if only what you said were true, that if you treat your helper well, your kindness will be reciprocated. Sadly, that's not the way most of these maids think or behave. My ex-maid had an even better life than yours. Only need to do basic housechores, no dog, no washiing car, privacy of own room, no cooking, minimum child minding. Every birthday, CNY, X'mas we lavished her with gifts and angpao. What do we get in return? Sloppy work, all hours on the phone/internet chatting, sms, FB. Sneak out of the house for hours during the day on the pretext of sending money, taking out the trash etc. Blatant lies, disrespect and defiance, repeat same mistakes over and over despite gentle reminders, show black face when reminded not to repeat them.

"Talking to friends = learn bad habits", this is what is actually happening, and not employer's bias! My ex-maid actually told me blatantly that she could work part time during her off-day for $10/hr as many of her friends were doing that. I've no issue with whatever she does during her off day, provided I'm not held responsible for whatever happens to her! If she got injured while working illegally during her off day, who is going to bear the medical cost??

Don't be naive thinking all maids will reciprocate your kindness, a few sensible ones will, most will just take you for granted and grow complacent and arrogant thinking that you can't live without them.
 
Buds: just a side-track.. it does not seems to make sense that housecleaning get paid more than regular jobs like cleaners or McDonald's jobs that kids do to earn pocket money. In fact, the rates seems to have gone up to $50/4hrs.
 
<font size="-2">“Caucasian countries where live-in maids are illegal and you have to resort to hire a nanny at $800 a month (no washing and cleaning only cooking for 1 toddler) and $750 a part time cleaner (no washing of clothes and ironing) to come twice a week and mind you, these are in USD”</font>

donkey ears (pantieileen)
This is Spore. You earn your S$ here, live here and spend using S$ not USD or peso/rupiah!

Maids earn S$ but convert and spend using their local currency, low living costs so their money ended up a lot. <font color="119911">How many maids earn S$ and spend all their S$ money in Spore?</font> Where you earn is where you spend. Maids/Nannies/Cleaners maybe earning US$800 but they spend in USA. How can you base on US standard to rate us when you’re in Spore! Absurd. This is what I meant by self righteous people refused to compare apples to apples.

<font size="+2">If I based on your US$800 for a live out maid/nanny, it is <font color="ff0000">only S$993</font> so much cheaper than what I’m paying for a live-in Filipino.</font> Did you miss out Sg live-in Filipino could cost us S$1700 per month? Did you intentionally miss out I welcome the idea of live-out maid if MOM removes all liabilities on FDW’s employer – no maid insurance, maid loan, security bond, repatriation clause, levy, etc? Paying only $993 per month for a babysitter/nanny....maids are out of my sight when I'm back from work ... I want. Would be so nice to have a pampered child (maid) out of my house!! No liabilities, not responsible for maids' action... perfect!

BTW, local babysitters charge $500 to S$800 per month to look after children, do you know? If foreigners cost more, who wants to employ? Just child manning, they do housework at their own house, clean the child, wash the child's clothes using their own utilities.... etc, u know?

You want to compare with other countries’ maid/nanny but are we standing on the same land, facing lots of foreigners, high medical costs and a harsh PAP? You can continue to show how wealthy you are, let your valuable lay around your house, show off you have many cars and dogs ….. continue show off you’re RICH but don’t step on the Poor (low to middle income group)! Whatever you spent on FDW is small money to you but the money we spent on FDWs are our hard earned money, they are not peanuts, they are the fruits of our hard labour!
 
Poor winter. I think you were conned of your money then. I only paid $600 for agency fees. I don't have the luxury of you in terms of time to nitpick about cost of off days, utilities, medical bills, food, air tickets, levy because by the time you hire a maid, you should be aware of all these costs. And if you can't afford it then be like SAHM and don't complain so much.

Overseas there are women who work and do not have live in help or part time cleaners. My point is we are fortunate enough to have a choice to have help.

You are such a typical singaporean. With choice of help complain. No choice of help, left with Singaporean choice of help also complain. Then how? Don't hire a maid then don't complain loh. Why hire a maid and create a problem for yourself.

For goodness sake, do you know Money is only a piece of paper with some value. There's no need to add so much attachment to money or hard labour etc because end of the day when you die, you can't bring it along. Life can be a happy one or unhappy but if you continue to complain, nitpick and fuss about how imperfect our system is then too bad. You'll never be happy period.

Anyway, i feel so sad for you. You remind me of typical aunties who like to complain over lunch about how sucky their life is or to MP during Meet the MP Session, every little thing also complain. haiz...you feel bad for yourself or not? Coz i do leh
 
If Sg employers are looking for a nannies or home cleaners, be very specific, why do we need to employ foreign domestic workers? A local babysitter cost about $$500 to $800, cheaper than a live-in FDW. The nanny takes care of the child, feed, shower, provides home cooked meals, do clean-up associated to the child, ensure her house is clean and safe, do her washing after each cooking, responsible for her own utilities, etc.

Not many of us need a maid totally to babysit or do housework. Some households simply cannot generate that much work, enough to let maid be occupied for 6 to 10 hours each day.

Not everybody hired FDWs to show off how rich they are, employing a maid is more like for display or to ease a rich person's loneliness... seeking cheap companionship.

If a maid is going to cost US$800/S$993 and doing only one duty, either cook, do housework, babysit or take care of elderly .... who wants?

Who is prepared to let your maid Skype using your home laptop, enjoy air-con as and when FDW wants, like donkey ears (pantieileen)?

Who felt happy to see your maid spending 50% of her time talking on her personal phone, Facebook, flirt with men and/or watching TV?

You don't mind hire a princess-maid to enjoy life? I'm sure donkey ears (pantieileen) is happy to provide such life to FDWs. If she ends up with a few bad maids, it is no big deal, she can afford the small money.

<font size="-2">donkey ears (pantieileen)
For goodness sake, do you know Money is only a piece of paper with some value. There's no need to add so much attachment to money or hard labour etc because end of the day when you die, you can't bring it along.</font>

<font color="0000ff">Money is important to survive in Spore. We need to make ends meet, I'm not born with a golden spoon like you. If something happens, I doubt I have enough to cover my funeral, I rather not waste money and opt to keep cash for my girl. So is money important to people like me?</font> Is money just a piece of paper? Being rich is great, can press people down ??!! Can act like money will fall from the sky if we don't work hard?

If I can find a good babysitter willing to give my girl loving care, stay nearby, have a good environment for my girl, I would rather employ a local babysitter than a FDW. It is also a risk to put my girl in a stranger's house, thus, even if I get a babysitter but not recommended by people I know, I won't feel she's in good hands. Having a FDW has a lot of problem but I can have CCTV at home. Example this afternoon, I saw my girl crying, maid sms she wants to eat something but didn't tell me what. I told her to show me in front of the home CCTV. I won't be able to see my girl if she's in a babysitter's premises.

Anyway, I don't intend to employ maid if my current FDW doesn't work out well. Too expensive! I'll stay home and get financial assistance. Social workers/PAP cannot say I didn't try to stay employable and earn my own money.... the existing policies are not encouraging nor helpful for me to remain in the workforce!
 
Maybe you should question yourself. $993 allows you to own someone's life.

Would you be happy if your boss pays you 20k for an overseas job, leave your child behind to be cared by someone else? Will you miss her? What if your boss denies you the right to make a call home? Would you find all ways to update yourself about home?

Would you be happy if your boss be calculative about your medical visits even if its once or twice a year? Do you not fall sick yourself? Sends you overseas as a single individual and says no you can't talk to others. What if you are lonely and horny? You expect your boss to control your personal life? Control how much food you consume on his payroll?

Remember when you were in your early 20s, what were you doing? Shopping at malls or worrying about putting food on your table, leaking roofs, lack of electricity or lack of bfs? It's only natural for a lonely maid without friends to sneak out, find a friend or a bf etc. Weren't you rebellious in your teens? If you find your maid masturbating but not having sex with men then what, she's a freak? Maids are robots and are different from the rest of us?

My point is, before you treat a maid like a product, put yourself in their shoes. No one likes to be ordered around. Do you like your boss to do this to you or treat you with respect like an equal individual ?

I don't earn a million a year or drive a Ferrari, AM or lambo so I'm not rich. If you aren't secure with having a stranger care for your child then yes do it yourself since its a priceless act. Mother's loving care can only come from you, even grandparents' are secondary. What's the point if earning 250k a year but feel stress every moment worrying about everything? If the maid let her cry, if your mil or mom educate her differently from your plan?

If you hired help then calculate the cost afterwards then that's just poor planning. Hiring a maid is purely HR, people management and if you are not up the job don't try to be an employer. Like my boss remind me daily, it's not easy being a manager. If you can't give orders or ensure your subordinates do their job then you fail as a manager. Resign and do the work yourself

Eco funeral cost less than 5k, if you skip the wake, entertainment, altar space and wooden coffin, go straight to cremation you should be covered. There's no point leaving money for children, what you really should give her is memories of yourself and your child. Either that, she will have memories of strange woman putting her to sleep or feeding her when she grows up. Yes, I do not have any childhood memories with my mom and I remember my maid bringing me to the beach and park. So up to you! I've said my piece and if you choose to be arrogant and can't see the big picture too bad.
 
The above members here can’t be bothered to give further comments.
You are such a spoilt brat. $250k spore dollars? Do you know to earn $250k per year, how much one person has to earn each month? How much one must earn to own and finance a car? Money is not an issue to you so you do not need to learn about figures and how to save money. I am sure you do not know the salary scale of a low to middle income household. You are just like those ministers drawing high salary, sitting with your heads looking upwards! Lee HL, the prime minister of Singapore, tops the list of selected leaders’ salaries. At the other end of the scale, Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India, reaffirms his reputation for saintliness by taking a modest sum of US$4,106 annually from Indian taxpayers. If spore keep breeding people like you, the next election will be exciting.
 
hi Donkey ears.
I am sorry you live in an idealistic world.
The rest of Us live in the real world where we must put up with aspects of life someone like you has never had to face. Like having to budget so that we can provide for BASIC necessities like our food and a roof over our head.
I have had several maids(5 over the last 12 years - good ones and really bad ones.
It is not a question of how you treat the maid but what the personality of the maid is. A lot of maids nowadays have very bad attitudes - they are seriously not here to work and earn money. You can tell by the interest they take in things that don't involve work.
I had a maid I kept for six years - reasonably good worker, had boyfriends in Singapore(despite having a husband in her home country) and had a tendency to talk back to you. I still kept her cos, she did her job reasonably well.
The last maid I took form myanmar was a 2 time transfer maid. She has not made a single cent in the last 1 and half years she has been here.
Was very kind to her. Bought her clothes, gave her money for her off days cos she still paying off loan to agency.
But in the end had to send her off cos despite all of this. Why? Was I a bad employer? Did I scold her or abuse her? no.
She had ZERO concentration in her work.
Told her to wait outside the childcare centre to pick up my 2 year old and I get a call form school asking me if anyone is coming to pick up my kid. Had to take leave and rush down only to realise she had spent time talking to her new "friends" and forgot the time. And claimed her watch battery is spoilt.
I was kind enough to buy her a new watch. And she still somehow managed to pick up my kid up to an hour late.
I did not want this to continue. I could have sent her back but I chose to give her a chance. I transferred my kid to another childcare within 2 minutes walk to my block just to block.
And guess what -late to pick up my kid again.
I was still very patient. I enlisted my mum-in-law to drop and pick up kid.
Finally after she started to steal money and I caught her at it, I had to send her back. This is only within the TWO months she was with me.
To donkey ears specifically - It's not about treating maids as family or just humans - its about about a their role as paid employees.
Will you continue to employ someone who is under performing?
If you are running a company , do you want to have to monitor your employee's every action and constantly supervision them.
I would want to hire someone who does the job she is hired to do within reasonable limits not spend my hard earned money on someone who is day dreaming and not interested in performing her job but on gossiping and furthering her own interests.
As would any reasonable employer.
Tis ia a JOB that the maid signed on to do.
Just like any reasonable employer - you can expect to get scolded if you do not perform your JOB.
And just like any employer - you as an employer have a right to set the terms of employment and if the maid does not want to be ordered around -they should not sign up to work as a maid.
If you sneak out while you are supposed to be at work do you think your employer is going to say - oh sorry you are just at the rebellious age or you are lonely. They will tell you to do it on YOUR FREE TIME. Not when you are meant to be working.
Grow up donkey years.
 
different income levels will have different outlooks on madis. how to compare? if my hb earns 250k per year, i will gladly be his maid!

but if my hb earns only 2.5k per month, then sorry, its his fault, he has to be the maid. the euqation is simple
 
I agree w winter's statements (most)

Donkey ears please grow up!
Back to earth!
Majority of maids are immature and selfish! They choose not to use their brains when working!
I had bad experience too! She almost killed my toddler after she had forgotten to lock window grill!
What the ****? She had nothing to lose!
How would u feel it u lost your loved one?
My current one almost choked my 18months for feeding him big chunk of minced pork (it's was chewy) excuse me hor, she is experienced maid!
Simple things can't even think n do?
I was nice to her , treated her as part of family too!
Hello!,!,, who had to pay her loan k! I don't expect them to be perfect too but hello at least please be fair to us! Do a fair share!
She is hired to do her job! If she can't perform than don't blame us! Don't forget v r liable for their negligence n mistakes!
Blame is on us!
 
Pantieileen, do you have kids? If not, is that why you had been making such ignorant and self-centered comments? There are good and not so good employers, but i believe the majority of us who hire fdw to take care of our kids and household try to be good employers.

We are not whining about how expensive it is to hire them. It is good money we paid and these fdw should deliver. It is indisputable that the fdw has little to lose but we employers with helpless kids in their hands have so much to lose. We employers do not want to own their life, our wish for them to help us in our daily lives. It certainly does not help that the government has been doing so much for these foreign domestic workers, but so little to help us Singaporeans.
 
I think gahment should look at what type of maid can get offdays and what type of maids cannot get offdays.
And this should be agreed before they come to work for that particular employer in Singapore.

Example: Most of the maids who work and care for normal household, primary-tertiary educated kids can afford to go offdays. Those caring for elderly and infants should not be allowed to go for offdays. but of course, we have to compensate them rightfully.

I think most of us are angry that gahment became tolerant and relaxed with FDW. Well, let's embrace and wait till something happens before our gahment reacts (reactive gahment) again.

Story of Maid who ran off to MOM to complain about the employer:
Someone I knew (X) had her maid ran off to MOM complaining maid did not get her salary.
MOM called X and wanted to talk to her. X told MOM personnel:" Look you are Singaporean and I am a Singaporean. You believe her and not believe me?"
Basically X has arranged a new maid to come and replaced the maid who ran off.
X has told the maid who ran off that she can go after the new maid comes, and X will settle all her salary and etc before she goes off.
Before that can happen, ex maid ran off to MOM and complained she didn't receive her salary!
Wow this is a new tactic maid uses. Beware!
 
All I can say is that is a vicious cycle.

Employer started by trying to treat FDW as fairly as they can.
The FDW start to have bad behaviours then got replaced.
Then employer start to be more strict with next maid thinking that they are being too lenient.
The next maid is an experienced maid whom had been treated somewhat unfairly in the last household.
So she decide no need to work so hard, since no matter what she do, its not good enough.
Thats where conflicts starts, and will never end.

As I have said, its a vicious cycle.

I have this to say, dont expect your maid to have mutual understand, should know, etc.
They dont, simply becos they do not have the same background nor social nor cultural similarities as us.

Getting a FDW is entering into a relationship. Just like any form of relationship, respect is the key operating word.

I am with Pantieileen with regards to treating the FDW with respect. I also share the others fustrations about the problems and responsibilities that comes with engaging a FDW.

My husband and I have different views of how to manage FDW, which is why we dont have one. We chose infantcare, childcare and a once-a-week helper services. We learn to cope with home not being the tidiest and hving to fight traffic and workloads to cope with picking our kids up by 7pm. We also learn to treasure that little bit of time after kiddos finally goes to sleep and quietness decends. We learn to share and have better co-ordination, co-operations and communications so as to cope.

We are celebrating our 10 years anniversary soon and yet we feel like we jus started off life together not so long ago, as we treat daily grinds as a learning process more than a coping process.

Thats jus me 2cents.

Cheers all, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
 
Treating a maid well and respecting her does not guarantee a good maid. This is definitely what I have learnt in all my years of employing them. No matter how well you treat them and how you try to include them into your family, they are still outsiders. At the end of the day, they will still go back to their own hometown. Just like no matter how well your boss treats you, at the end of the day, its also just a job, right? Granted, during your working hours, you must perform your best because that's what you have been paid for. But if you are not getting paid, do you think you will still perform your best? Just like the maid, she is paid to do her job...that is to take care of children or the household or old folks. They are not doing volunteer work for you.

Definitely, if they are not doing their jobs well you will get upset, just like if we are not doing our jobs well our bosses get upset with us, or worse, we are told to leave. I tried being strict and being lenient. Both ways have the same outcome. I was lenient with my current maid and ended up falling trap to her lies of what going out with her cousin when there is no such cousin. Respected her as an individual and not check her room periodically and ended up she stole my bra and clothes. Gave her freedom and trusted her to do her job well, and ended up she sneaked out of the house when no one was around, this, despite having off days! I knew she was a divorcee with a son back home so I sympathethized her. Whenever she said she needed advance pay, I always gave her. When she said her son was sick and she was worried, I encouraged her to call home more often. She has her own bedroom and I don't intrude on her privacy after 9. She doesn't need to look after my kids cos they are all in school. She just needs to do general housekeeping, cooking and vacuuming the car once a week. Car washing is not must and even when she does, its not a compIete one as she only wet the car and clean it with a cloth. Is that too much to ask? I don't breathe down her neck to check on her every minute of the day, heck, I don't even check regularly whether she has done her work properly because I've learnt that in order to survive with a maid for long, one must close one eye. I gave her freedom to do her work but in the end, she made used of this freedom to yak on the HP while doing her chores and cutting corners everywhere until I could see how dirty my house has become. I spoke to her about her high HP usage and she shows me a black face and bad attitude. If you are working and yakking on the HP all day, you mean your boss is ok with that? If you sneaked off work for a few hours without informing anyone, your boss is ok with that? I doubt so.

"Do Singaporeans know how much a maid has to borrow from loan sharks or their relatives to pay for training cost to come to Singapore?" With the government and those righteous groups siding them these days, even if they borrowed a lot of money to come here and work, they can still pick and choose their employers when they are not happy with them. No problem, they can change as many employers as they want, until they are satisfied because they are always the victim and we are the aggressor. Just because they come a long way from home and are all alone here with no one to protect them. Then how about us? Who is there to protect us when these FDWs take advantage of us, when they can keep switching employers and we can't because we are hindered by the hefty replacement fees and not to mention, the time and effort needed to retrain the new FDW? And about them earning peanuts. These days their salaries are from $500 onwards, how can that be peanuts? Remember that their food and lodging is paid for and all the money they earn goes to themselves. And if you convert their salary into the currency of their home, its a lot of money. If they are smart, they will save up most of it. If not, they will probably squander it away on their off days.

"Do you also know that if your maid communicates with her family daily she will not feel so lonely and won't find a bf?" This statement is so wrong...who says by communicating daily with their family, they will not find a bf? That is crap. My maid has a HP and can call her family everyday but she chose to talk to her friends and BF, rather than her family. She rather stay here to work in Singapore to stay with her friends and BF than to go home to her family. How do I know? Cos I have seen her whispering and giggle into her HP every now and then and when I asked her if she wanted to go home to visit her family she said she preferred to work here cos she doesn't like looking after her son. She only enjoys bringing her son out.

"It's only natural for a lonely maid without friends to sneak out, find a friend or a bf etc. Weren't you rebellious in your teens?" We are not their parents. We are not here to educate them on the part and parcel of growing up. They choose to come here to work, no one forced them to. If they choose to come, then they must be matured about it and behave like a responsible adult. It's not our duty to mentor them like our kids.

"I simply do not understand employers who's point was "Maid going out = finding bf. Talk to their friends = learn bad habits" That is totally true. Before I gave my maid off day, she was still manageable. After she started going out, a slew of problems came rushing in. Before she started going out, she was a devoted mummy who was determined to work hard for her son. After going out, she is more interested in dressing up nicely and going shopping and finding a BF. She started talking to her friends and comparing with them and learning all their bad habits like stealing, lying, cutting corners, talking back whenever I ask her about something wrong she did and sneaking out of the house without informing anyone.

So sometimes its not us employers who don't want to give maids off days. Giving them off days and treating them like an equal does not mean you will get a good maid. For those people who said that they gave their maids freedom and respected them like individual and in return, they get good maids, please take a closer look at your homes and your maids. Chances are, your home is probably not cleaned well and she may be doing many unspeakable things behind your back. If you are ok with that, then I rest my case.
 
I have had two FDW since 2009. I am a working mom

The first one stayed with me for seven months. I did not fire her because of any problems. I needed to transfer her because we were having some financial problems that I cannot afford a maid. Maid V was a bit slow in picking up my instructions but she was damn good in cleaning my flat. She followed my instructions on how to clean the things at home and never had arguments with my then 4 year old DD.


The next maid is Maid J. I took her last December 2012. She was a transfer maid. She was ok for the first 1-3 months. Eventually she started showing me her bad attitude. She does not listen to my instructions. She has a bangladesh
Boyfriend who talks to her all day long. She loves to sleep most of the time. Argues, hurts and intimidates my DD. Never open her mouth to tell me what she has broken. Decides things on her own without telling me.

I just want to be clear that when I was younger we had maids. Lots of them. They stay woth us for 2-3 years. I only had one maid whom I argue a lot because she hurts me. Other than that, they were all nice.

Thus, when I had my own maid, I do not want to treat them as other people. I respect what they need. Talk to them like a friend. I listen to whatever problems they have. Sometimes, offer my services to them such as. I buy food for them. Or even do some of the household chores myself. I gave her bonuses and extra money. I give ger money to let her buy her own food and let her cook her own food. I see to it that she have had enough sleep at night.

But maid J was not getting any better. I even raised her salary from 500-550-600 every 6 months to encourage her to work. She would ignore my instructions and give me a black face when I insist she does the chore. She became really rude to me and even my daughter. She bad mouth my daughter so that she gets what she wants. She actually abused my daughter to the point that my daughter who is less than 9 thinks she is no good.

Maid J has challenged me to bring her back to the agency for the 4th time. I did not want to but she gave threats of running away if I send her back home. Thus, I have decided to send her back to the agency and give her the 30 days for her to find a new employer.

I sent a feedback to MOM though. Any smart employer will get that feedback and think hard before hiring her. I put her strenghts, weaknesses and her privileges at home. Maybe I was too kind to her. That is why she became abusive.

I am not a perfect employer. I also have my tantrums if I ran out of patience. But I never said bad things to her. Never told her she is stupid or similar words. I am always careful with my words even in my angry state.

I am still hoping to find a good maid. I hope that the next time around , she will value her work. The same way I value mine.
 
Agree with what all the mums said. I believe those people who complain that maid lead a bad life here didn't employ a maid or are those lucky ones with such good maids.

We as employers, have to bear the unlimited medical cost of the maid, even existing illness, most of whom we never see in person till the day she come Singapore. We should ask ourselves, did our employers do this for us? Give us unlimited health care benefits? Even government as employers don't do this. We are only working class earning few thousand a month, but have to bear all medical expenses of maid. If we are lucky, maid come here with good health. If we are unlucky, we will be laden with bottomless medical debts.

My maid took home all the pay she received which is around $500+/month. No need pay for food, lodging and miscellaneous items. How many Singaporean get to save $500/mth? You think the cleaners uncles and aunties, who slog so hard, can save that amount?

I give my maid a IDD calling card for her to call home. Initially she called once a week to talk to her son. After few months, she choose to talk to her friends than calling home. Who say they wont find new friends if they can call home daily?

During the interview, I made it clear to all the maids i had interviewed what are the jobs they need to do. If they are not interested, they have a chance to reject me. Since they agree to do what I stated, then they must come and do the work. Not arrive in Singapore and change their stand. My current maid was informed that part of the work is to cook for family. When she arrived, she tell my mother in law that she don't like to cook and don't want to cook. Some of the maids just use us to come Singapore, once they are here, they will start switching employers and hopefully find a good employer like Pantieileen.

I think most employers here just want to find a reliable maid to take care of our children. We paid her salary, we would expect her to deliver the work, just like our employers demand from us.
 
Well.. No choice but have to say this, they won't be a maid if they can think like us..

Just wish they respect the basic employee employee relationship, it seems so hard...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Urgent Help needed with (1) Direct Hire of maid, and (ii) looking for Transfer Maid
Replies
1
Views
4K
SGEA
S
J
New Mum New Baby with new Maid
Replies
1
Views
1K
stephentoh
S
Q
Husband makes me feel isolated from his family
2
Replies
64
Views
5K
Mongkok
M
T
Divorce?
Replies
17
Views
953
Tracer
T
B
New divorcee single mum of 2 has been constantly harrassed.
Replies
2
Views
571
Jay_mps
J

Back
Top