Maids shoot down employer who says they will only take their helper on holiday if she renews her contract with them

SINGAPORE — A group of maids called out an employer online who said she would only take her helper on holiday if their contracts were renewed.

In an anonymous post to Facebook page FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), the employer wrote that her maid had been working with the family for over a year. “we are thinking of bringing her on holiday with us next month, on condition that she renew her contract with some adjustment and increment”, she wrote, asking netizens when she should start to discuss contract renewal with her maid.

“We have also approved her 2 weeks home leave in coming June”, the woman wrote on Facebook.

Other helpers in the group pointed out that the employer’s terms were unfair, as though when the family was on vacation, the helper would still be required to work while she was with them.

Here’s what they said:

Last year, a foreign domestic worker whose 2-year contract was set to end wanted an additional day off to stay on and continue working for her current employers.

In an anonymous post to Facebook group FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), the helper’s employer asked what she could offer the maid instead of an additional day off. The employer wrote that she was keen on keeping her maid after the contract ended. “I understand that she is looking at 2 days off per month instead of 1 and she’s keen to attend English lessons on weekends. However, my hubby is self-employed and work freelance hence he will usually need to work on weekends whenever he is called to”.

She also explained that she had to send her older daughter for enrichment classes on the weekends next year, which is why she could not afford to give her helper the two days off.

According to the Manpower Ministry (MOM), “From 1 January 2023, all employers must provide their migrant domestic workers (MDWs)¹ at least one rest day a month that cannot be compensated away².  This is part of the measures announced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) last year to allow MDWs to rest and recharge from work, as well as form networks of support outside the household”.