ahnah - is this ur first maid? personally i feel if don't allow their family to contact her, then what if something emergency happen back home eg. son v sick or accident in hosp etc, then how her family contact her? if something really bad happen (like sick until die eventually) then jialat, she surely feel sad n v angry with her employer one. do u allow her to call home? n is she ever left alone with ur baby? wat if angry, put some 'stuff' into the milK? i always try to think fr their prospective, imagine myself in their shoes. my 1st maid always miss home, can't concentrate, i send her back.. 2nd maid too many phone calls, lazy n attitude prob, i send her back.
sunflower - i usually get those with some experience bcos more or less they will know how's life as maid. if v new n young, sometimes can't cope with maid's lifestyle n work expectations unless she is those who constantly do housework back home. but if those v v experienced ones, also got prob bcos many will want to do things their way and not follow urs (bcos they think they v experienced liao, no need to follow). If ever work in sgp, sure got many friends here n will want to make calls and go out. if ever work in indo, i will ask her duties done there and how big the household and how many maids they ve in the same house (in indo, they can ve many maids, sometimes 5! 1 do cooking, 1 do cleaning, 3 to take care of 3 kids etc) so may not be able to multitask and may b slow bcos all the while in indo only do 1 duty. i will try to get those who ve their own kids and make sure they look after themselves one. jus some of my inputs. but some ppl say those new-new young-young one good bcos "fresh brain" will follow all instructions u teach (no such thing as "her way")..btw, my #1 maid ever work in JB for a few mths but her biodata didn't indicate, so sometimes biodata say new-new maid but bluff one. and my #3 maid biodata say she work 2 yrs in saudi but turn out she didn't complete, only work 14mths... so all is luck also.