(2007/09) September 2007 MTBs

Call me paranoid but I always keep my house keys tat's hung in the living room before I go to bed (unless I forget). Also, I keep my maid's work permit and passport. I keep her salary too and we maintain a "recording system" whereby I will get her sign to acknowledge her salary and expenses. When she needs to remit money, the record will show clearly how much she has.

In this case, no house keys, no passport / work permit and no $$$, want to run away also must think twice.
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But then hor, my maid has requested to keep her money. I'm not comfortable with letting her hold so much cash and in the end, we compromised ... out of her $400 salary, I will keep $350 for her (will open a bank a/c then) and give her $50 every month as her allowance.
 


blue, it happens with my first maid aso. we let her hold some of her salary and keep the rest in the bank. whenever it is pay time, we would get her to sign for her salary and count her 'on hand' money too. but, this first maid became too clever for us. we never checked her purchases. but her money 'on hand' never seem to deplete/reduce. but yet she always tell my mil she bought this and that and this and that. and her phonecards too? (never counted how many she has)

when we finally got around to her stealing and started to keep all our money away, she realised it is now too difficult to take our money and thus requested to go home. this happened only last month. sent her home and got another maid. sighs.

key hor, i dun mind putting it around. cos i really dun wan her to climb out of the house. if she falls off how? sighs....
 
Hi Blue,
I did the same as you too - keep the house keys, passport and work permit. I keep all her money too. Anyway, all her food and toiletries are paid for, so I don't see why she need to keep her money.

Anyway, those maids who runaway usually have mental problems.. they can steal, climb out from the window or whatever.. no matter how careful we are, sometimes it's very difficult to prevent also...

Hope arisz will find her maid soon...
 
BTMum: You all always leave money lying around for her to steal meh? For us, we don't usually keep alot of cash at home ... my wallet usually keep less than $50. Don't have money lying around elsewhere for her to steal also.
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Blue, Emily, BTMum,

Agent just called me. She is at the Embassy now. She told them that she is homesick and wants to go home asap. Guess what, I most likely have to pay her air tix for her to go back. I'm so pissed now.

Emily, I can't cancelled her work permit now. If I do it, then I may have to pay off her loan that she owe the agency. Her passport and work permit is at the agency.
 
Blue, Emily, BTMum, she does not have the house keys. You know what she did?!>??! Haiz...you listen liao u will be pissed also.

Most likely is last night when we reached home. We asked her to lock the door. She did not lock at all since she plotted to run away. IT is not the first time already.

The first wk when she was here. That time my hubby accidentally left the house key in the leaving room before he left for overseas. She sneak out around mid night leaving the door open and not latched to make a call downstaris. My boy and me was sleeping in my room (unlock) and hubby was overseas. I was very angry when I found out. I scolded her for putting me and my boy at risked and herself also dangerous. A girl to be downstairs in the middle of the night is not safe.

Also, she has no Sing $ by right (I checked her bag thoroughly when she juz reached my place), so I guess she steal our coins to make call. The funny thing is, I did told her when she just came that if she wants to call home, juz tell me. After that incident, I asked her why didn't she ask me, she said she scared.

My mil also told me that she probably had told from my sil as well. Twice, and $50 each time. SIGH big times!!!
 
I really regretted being so nice to her...I did not ill-treat her at all lo. She doesn't really know how to cook, so sometime either hubby or me will cook during wkend, she gets to eat what we eat.

Sat when my boy go Shichida, I will buy bubble tea for her coz she used to work in Taiwan and she told me she loves bubble tea.

Goodness! Really regret big times leh! I also don't scold her much, usually I will reason with her and speak to her don't do it next time that kind. I thought she is more educated, so better to talk to her nicely and reason with her. But who knows she 'backstabbed' me in this manner....really pissed la!
 
Hi arisz,
Since she worked in Taiwan before, why is she still homesick leh? It's not the first she worked overseas... *wondering*

One more thing.. she doesn't complete her contract.. why must you buy her the air ticket? She shd pay for it herself..
 
blue, we used to leave our wallets lying around. also, lots of coins for her to pilfer. anyway, our fault for being so trusting. sighs.

arisz, really sympathize with u. have to let the agency settle with her lo. her loan and all. if the agency is able to reason with her, maybe can just transfer to another employer and ur problems all solved. good that ur 5k bond is secured. hope that all will go smoothly.

the second maid i have was from myanmar. i tot she was very nice and meek and soft spoken. but less than 10 days working for me, she blurted out her employment history and all the nonsense that had happened in the past. I was so puzzled why she suddenly told me all these. then she even said if i dun believe her, i can take her to police station to verify. *scratch head*. 2 days later, she said she wanted to go home. immediately. i called up the agency immediately and told them i am sending her over ASAP. i suspected then that she has some mental problems. i did not even try to ask her to stay. am really ruffled up cos of her unexpected 'confession' earlier. something tells me just let her go fast.

really at the mercy of these foreign domestic helpers leh....=(
 
Emily, coz when she worked in Taiwan, she worked as factory worker and she gets to communicate with her fellow Fillipinos all the time. And she work for less than 1 year.

I think she did not expect the work of domestic helper to be like that. When I talked to her, she told me back at home, she does not have to do a lot of things. She don't even cooked, her father will cook for her. Seems like she is pretty pampered at home.
 
Now she is at Embassy, she has the upper hand lo. That is precisely the case in Sg, seems like it. As long as she runs to embassy she wins liao.
 
emily, under MOM's law, employer have to pay for FDW's plane ticket if she wants to go home anytime regardless completing contract or not. the law protects the FDW. =< weird hor?
 
Emily: Actually by right hor, under contractual terms, employer has to pay for air tickets regardless of when and why the maid wants to go back ... sad but true. The agent told me even if maid just arrived in Singapore and after working 2 days wants to go back, employer still has to pay for air tickets to repatriate back.
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BTMum, yah lo. I thought domestic helper suppose to help us relieve our household 'problems' but seems like she is giving me more trouble than help. Almost quarrel with hubby because of this but we did have some unhappiness due to this issue.

And I almost wanted to quarrel with my mil because of this also. When she came to know about the maid ran away this morning. She kept scolding both me and hubby for our negligence and so trusting towards the maid. I 'ren' all the way while she complained, if not, will sure 'blast' at her. Not our fault what!!!
 
BTMum, Blue, I also think it is unfair to the employer hor. Seems really like the law protects the FDW more than the employer.

I even told hubby i'm so pissed that I feel like writing a petition for those mummies who has been through this kind of s**t like me to write in to protest! Why do we have to bear all the cost while they make the choice to come to sg to work.
 
arisz. not easy when all fingers are point at u. sighs. *pat back* *pat back*

just have to wait out to see if the agency can help u. i am sure they would also want their money back and not lose a customer like u.
 
With all these troubles that she created, I have to clear the mess and make arrangement on my side to settle my day-to-day schedule. It is so easy for her, flag cab, go embassy say she wants to go home, then I bear the cost and the trouble she created. Why so unfair?!
 
Arisz: I will support your petition!!! I also feel it's unfair for employers. Quite a handful of maids think they come here for "holiday" ... like my previous maid ... she came here with 3 luggages. She maciam come here for holiday, not to work. The clothes she brought all long sleeve blouses, dresses and skirts. She didn't even bring shorts or bermudas lor ... and only had 2-3 t-shirts. In the end I had to give her t-shirts and shorts to wear at home.
 
Blue, precisely la, my maid is also thinking being a FDW is easy task. You know when she juz came, I asked her why she worked in Sg. She told me sg is juz her stepping stone. Her aim is to go Canada to work. After 2 years here, she will apply to go Canada to work.
 
a lot of times there is a lot of luck involved when getting helpers. especially when decision is made just by looking at biodatas. how much can we read from biodatas? is the information true in the first place? sighs. agencies aso out to earn money only. they did not even reflect the true picture of working conditions here. gosh!!!!
 
Hi arisz,
*Pat pat* Cool down... I know it's difficult... but since it already happened, then just settle it asap and move on with the new maid.. luckily its school holiday now, at least you don't have to worry abt work...

Hi blue &amp; BTMum,
Thanks for informing me. It seems like the air ticket is a MUST, regardless whether the contract is completed.

Btw, what happens if the maid still have outstanding loan with the employer?
 
emily, so the agency tells me. if the maid wants to go home, must send back to agency to 'settle'. they will 'counsel' her to stay and finish the loan.

arisz, somehow, they must have been painted a very beautiful picture about working in canada. hope all the pictures painted are true and real.

blue and arisz,
lots of them come to sg to work to earn money. esp those from myanmar and indo. somehow, the ones from phili are not as serious. maybe cos they are more educated and know their rights? maybe they are not so poor back in their country? so many reasons.
 
BTMum, I'm quite sure biodatas are not true. My maid who ran off, according to biodata, she has a son, but turns out to be a daughter. When I go to my agency to look for new maids, all the comments so-called 'written' by the maids are roughly the same. The comments written by the interviewer about the maids are roughly all the same also.
 
Hi BTMum,
what if the agency not able to councel her leh? What happened to the loan?

It's indeed scary leh... my maid's contract will expire early next year, I'm so scared of getting new one...
 
arisz, next time try to see if you can interview the maids. i think that may give u a better idea of what they are like, instead of guessing. i quite scared to just employ a person by seeing biodatas.

if u are really good with the agency, talk to them nicely and see what they can do to help u. hopefully all can be settled peacefully and all parties need not suffer any damages.
 
Emily, according to my agency, the upfront loan that I paid which is for her salary will be transferred to the new maid. What I'm losing in terms of monetary (since we found her already) are:
1) the levy which i'm still paying while she has her 'holiday' at the emabssy
2) the new maid's insurance which I had to pay for
3) my ran away maid's air tix when everything is settle and we have to send her back
 
emily, i really dunno leh. my second maid they managed to counsel her leh. so i managed to get my third maid. this one from indo. hopefully will not do anything stupid la.

but i believe, all the maid who come here wants to earn money. i dun think they are out to create trouble ba. but have to be nice to them and be patient with them. no matter how patient and nice, some will be chut pattern. sighs. then have to sigh and say dao mei.
 
BTMum: Precisely! My previous maid hor, she stated she's 45 kg in her biodata. Wah lau, when I first saw her, I whispered to my hubby, "Does she look like 45 kg to you?" In actual fact, she's 65 kg lor. Then her biodata stated she got experience working as a domestic maid in Philippines. Actual fact is, she has no experience working as a domestic maid before. She said her agent ask her to write worked for 2 years as domestic maid in home country.

Arisz: Like emily said, heng she chose to run away during school holidays when you at least have time to settle all these crap she left you with.

Emily: With this that's happened, maybe arisz scared to get another maid liao?

Actually I always tell my hubby ... if my current maid doesn't wanna renew her contract, I don't think I wanna get another maid also. Quite a tedious process to start the cycle all over again. And initial stage, don't even know whether or not can trust the maid.
 
ur current maid's insurance can refund or not? my second maid who worked for me for less than 10 days, i only have a 70% refund. so cham. =(
 
Hi arisz,
Oh I see.. then not too bad lor... at least the upfront loan can be transferred to the new maid..

One more thing.. since the maid is here for only 2+ months, I think you only need to pay a pro-rated insurance for the new maid.. I remember my agent told me this before....
 
blue, agreed. actually, me aso intending to get this maid until ben is a little older. then will stop le. unless got no. 2 la. else, having a maid really hinders u at times. =( no doubt they can help. but at what cost? sighs.
 
BTMum, guess what, I did interview my current maid also. She sounded so enthusiatic when I interview her.

After she insisted she wants to go home again recently. About 3 wks ago, I went to the agency to get new maids. First one, I interview over phone also, sound alright and ok, but 2 wks later, suspected pregnancy so medical failed. Then after that I quickly choose another one, sound very enthusiatic again and happy and even said she needs $$ so she has to come here to work. 2 days later refused to pick up call from my agent.

Bad luck right!!!
 
arisz, i think they all trained to answer enthusiastically leh. sighs. like this how to get new maids? maybe get from indo. they still the best to get (when compared across the 3 countries). main prob is just the diet issue.
 
Hi BTMum,
My hubby said that I'm too nice to my maid.. no choice wor, I'm worried she will runaway or ill-treat my boy if I scold her..

Everytime when my HB gave her a scolding, I'm very worried... My HB is very fierce, he can scold her until she cry wor..
 
BTMum, Emily, think I only get about 30% refund!~ VEry angry la!!!

Blue, don't think I can survive without a maid when I'm working. Coz my hubby doesn't do housework one. And my boy stuffs also need someone to take care of, washing of his clothes, his bottles....etc
 
Arisz: When I interviewed my current maid, I also clearly told her no handphone and no off day, which she agreed to it. For the past half year, she has been bugging me to let her have handphone and off day ... if not, she don't wanna renew contract next Feb. Quite irritating actually ... I explained to her nicely saying that it was already communicated clearly no handphone and no off day ... so she shouldn't blame me if I don't grant her right? Anyway in the end, we agreed to let her have handphone but can only use at night. We insisted no off day though (to avoid more social problems). Told her ... we already compromised ... if she still insist on off day, then we have no choice if she really wanna change employer. But if she agrees to go without off day, hope she keeps her end of the deal and continue to maintain her standard in her work after we grant her handphone.
 
Emily guess in your case it seems alright. One nice and one fierce so at least got balance. And your maid seems to be quite nice also.
 
Blue, EMily, maybe I should thank my maid also. Choose to do this during school holidays and also when my hubby is around. Coz my hubby travels so often these days such that he is in sg for a few days and will be away for a wk or so that kind. SO he is seldom in sg. REally pissed off with her!!! Arggggggg
 
Arisz: Maybe part-time maid can help? After my 1st and 2nd maid, we decided not to get another maid since my elder one was about 2 years old and we put her in childcare then (I was still working). We've been getting part time maids who come once a week to do cleaning and ironing (paid $10 per hour). Only when Jordan comes along, we hired a live-in maid. Replaced my 3rd maid after 5 months and my current one has been with us since last year Feb.
 
Wah blue, your maid also one kind. Dare to bargain after she agreed to the condition in the first place! So far is she still up to standard in terms of work?
 
Hi Arisz,
Now she is OK... but somehow, maids are unfathomable... we don't know what they are thinking &amp; plotting.. they can also change overnight...

In the meantime, maybe you can get part-time cleaner to do houseworks for you...
 
Blue, that is what my friends suggested also. Hiring a part time helper while waiting for the new one. But also hard to find a nice and reliable part time helper leh. I will try to tahan these few days. If really cannot will try to look around for one. Thanks for the suggestion!
 
Luckily got you gals here for me to rant about my anger and unhappiness!!! Thanks for hearing all my frustrations!!!
 
emily, blue, arisz,
we working mums are in the mercy of the FDWs. especially if they have to look after the kids. really scared to scold them cos dunno what they will do to our kids. sighs. even if just washing and cooking, i am aso scared that they will put dirty things inside just to let the little ones suffer. sighs.
 


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