Maid policies should be changed

last SG · 2007-03-08T06:57:03+00:00

Given his track record in this forum, it is doubtful OM actually feels any real compassion for the plight of local Domestic Workers, just that it happened to...

oxford mushroom SG

Once again in the Straits Times we read about a maid who fell to her death trying to climb back to her flat after a rendez-vous with her lover and finding that her employer had locked the flat. Another article wrote about a man who spent 5 hours on the window ledge when his lover's employer came home earlier than expected.

These reports highlight a prevalent abuse of human rights in Singapore. We treat our maids as juveniles, preventing adults from the rights of association and movement. The common excuse is the maid levy that can be confiscated if the maid becomes pregnant.

I think that policy must change. Notwithstanding the possible social problems created by pregnant maids, we should not dictate who our employees should meet and indeed, whether and with whom they have sex with. Instead, there should be greater access to contraception and abortion for unwanted pregnancies. Employers should be charged for any additional costs this incur. Legislation can prevent children born to maids in Singapore from having an automatic claim to citizenship. There are better ways to deal with this problem than to imprison your maids in your homes.

nismoS132 SG

I agree with you.

Maids aren't slaves nor robots. They require rest, and are entitled to have rights. Typical employment laws should apply to them as well.

8 working hours a day, anything more and they should be paid overtime wages.
At least 1 day of rest per week.
14 days of annual leave or more.
Medical benefits.

blueheeler SG

I think the country were maids come from also affect their working conditions. I think the Phillipines govt insist that their maids get paid a higher salary (than, lets say, Indonesian maids) and a day off every month. The Indonesia govt stipulates that their maid get a lower salary and the monthly day off is not compulsory. So, sadly, most of our maids are Indonesian, and they get low wages and no days off.

I feel that for any S'porean to employ someone else to work for them and NOT give them a day off EVER, it amounts to serious abuse of workers' rights. Something must change, if we see ourselves as compassionate S'poreans.

LazerLordz SG

Maids should be treated as per normal employees. If you cannot afford, just hire a housekeeper to clean for an hour or two and send the kids to daycare.

MooKu SG

But where will they live?

maurizio13 SG

Live with their lovers of course.

nismoS132 SG

there could be a dormitory opened for non live in maids. if they can have the same kind of facilities for bangalas, they can have for maids.

oxford mushroom SG

Singaporean employers will insist on live-in maids but there should be regulations on the accommodation conditions. Maids should be entitled to a room that has a window for ventilation (international environmental health standards require the window to be at least 10% of the floor area), a bed, a cupboard for her belongings and a small table/chair. They should be entitled to a day off each week.

Legislation should be changed as well. Employers who stop their maids from going out of the house should be prosecuted for illegal imprisonment. If they are not happy with the performance of their maids, they can dismiss her. Maids should be given at least an hour off each day between 7am and 10pm, so they can go out, make phone calls from a public phone or meet their boyfriends if they so wish. If domestic maids get pregnant, they should be deported as the law provides for. However, the employer cannot be held responsible for that and it is wrong to confiscate the deposit for this reason.

LazerLordz SG

Keeping current mindsets won't work.

Lazy people who clearly have no idea what an employee is..

kilua SG

Also i think more protection and aid against unscrupulous agencies. I heard that a maid has to work an extra 6 months free every time an employer rejects a maid

gerrykoh SG

How do u know that these maids don't have day off?
One of them work for expats- normally they will get off once every week/ month.
Hello! Don't forget the maid let a stranger into the house- what happens if he comes to steal/ rape?
It is fine to give them a day off to rest but not to find bf & have sex.
They know they will be repatriated yet they still persist.
Some of these maids don't have right attitude to work.
A friend of my maid said she change employers 6 times- something must be wrong with her, don't always blame the employers

livspore2006 SG

There is a lot of difference between a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) and a Foreign Worker (FW), ie those chinese, bangla, indian, thai, myanmar. The FDW works and lives in the home. All employers of FDWs have to put up a $5000 bond on her "behaviour" and if she gets into any sort of "trouble" (that includes being pregnant, suicide, etc), the $5000 is immediately confiscated irregardless under what circumstances she has got herself to. This has resulted in many employers using a sort of "no off day" kind of "imprisonment" policy with someone at home to oversee because the trust level of someone in the house is very low at the beginning of the contract.

As the trust level increases, most employers will allow their charges to go on off-days. But unfortunately, most people who do not employ FDWs do not empathise (or do not to understand) on these points and will choose to typically champion mostly human rights in a democratic society for any normal employee-employer relationship.

Do take note that this relationship is a little complicated by the laws here..

<Precious> SG

Everyone including idiots knows how to complain about this and dat, change this and dat. Change to wad? You so smart , propose some policies and let us see whether anyone will kpkb about them lor......... Kanasai!! Evil or Very Mad

jianfish9 SG

Ya. End up nobody is going to employ maids anymore.

Firstly, it will deprive all the maids of a source of an income. Contrary to belief, maids do make alot of money compared to what they make back in their country. Why else do you think they are so eager to go overseas to work.

Secondly, while maids should have more rights, who will be responsible if anything happens. What if the maid pregnant and give birth in the house. What if the maid allow some man to come in and rape someone. Is TS going to be responsible? Its really simple, if we trust our maid, we will give them more freedom.

How is legislation going to work? Jail or fine employers who deny their maid the privileges? Is the maid going to call the police. Do you think anyone is going to hire a maid that call police? Hiring a maid is not cheap. Got agent fee, got security deposit, go levy, etc etc.

oxford mushroom SG

If you do not trust a maid in the house, do not hire one. If a maid is not performing well, you can sack her. But you have no right to restrict her movements or activities.

A maid is an employee, not your daughter and definitely not your slave.

oxford mushroom SG

That is why I said the legislation has to be changed. Employers cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of their empoyees. The policy over the bond has to be abolished. I would like to ask the Minister if he can put up a bond to ensure that his daughter will not get pregnant before marriage.

This government polcy is wrong but it is disappointing that Opposition party MPs fail to even comment on it. Why do we need them at all when they fail to do their job?

oxford mushroom SG

Nonsense. Singaporeans will still employ maids even with tighter legislation to protect the welfare of maids. If they all stop employing maids, that's good for the older, unemployed Singaporeans who can finally compete for domestic services with cheap foreign maids. But I do not believe Singaporeans will give up their maids.

If the maid gets pregnant, she gets deported as according to the law. Your daughter can also allow a boyfriend in and rape her. It is very simple, if you do not trust your maid, you have no business employing one.

jianfish9 SG

Originally posted by oxford mushroom:

Nonsense. Singaporeans will still employ maids even with tighter legislation to protect the welfare of maids. If they all stop employing maids, that's good for the older, unemployed Singaporeans who can finally compete for domestic services with cheap foreign maids. But I do not believe Singaporeans will give up their maids.

If the maid gets pregnant, she gets deported as according to the law. Your daughter can also allow a boyfriend in and rape her. It is very simple, if you do not trust your maid, you have [b]no business employing one.

[/b]

I suppose that your maid will be very lucky if ever you have one. I wonder who trusts their maid the first day they arrive. Trust is something that has to be built up and until that level of trust is attained, then I am afraid that it has to stay the way it is. Many people do like to keep their security deposit safe, thank you very much.

Also, unfortunately, Singaporeans do not want to compete being a domestic helper. I think we all know that. Also, I think other than simple cleaning, I don't think that singaporean domestic can or are willing to do much else.

I don't think we need the govt to give us a timetable our maids. Even so, it will be virtually impossible to implement.

Short Ninja SG

Tiok-Lah Idea unfortunately alot of people wont understand this and we simply cant put kindness and compassion into people.They must kena ill-treat themselves then they will open their eyes big big Shocked Shocked Shocked

Short Ninja SG

Dont be surprise but there are many lucky maids in Singapore too cuz some employers do have a heart