SINGAPORE: Just three weeks after hiring a new helper, one employer says she’s already having second thoughts about keeping her as she claims the woman has “poor hygiene.”
In a post shared in the SINGAPORE TRANSFER (No Fees/SD), DIRECT HIRE & NEW HELPER Facebook group on Tuesday (Jun 30), the employer said the helper has “bad breath and dandruff.”
“Personal hygiene is something that I find it’s very important to me. We told her to brush her teeth regularly and even bought Listerine for her, but it’s still unbearable, and her dandruff is those that can see many white flakes on her hair.”
The employer added that the issue worries her even more because the helper is responsible for looking after her young son and putting him to sleep.
She also said she feels uncomfortable with some of the helper’s behaviour around the child. According to the employer, whenever her son spits food onto his bib or spills his milk while eating, the helper lets out a disapproving “tsk” sound.
Moreover, if her son does something he’s not supposed to, she will reportedly tell him in a stern, raised voice, “Cannot ah, cannot!”
“We talked to her already to say it in a gentler and softer voice.”
While she acknowledged that the helper plays well with her son and is still adapting to the household chores, she admitted that the issues she had raised have made her rethink her decision.
“Am I thinking too much, or should I just give her a bit more time to see how she is?”
“Bring her to the dentist”
The post quickly drew plenty of responses, with commenters split over what the employer should do.
Some felt that hygiene is a valid deal-breaker, particularly for someone caring for a young child, and suggested transferring the helper if the problems persist.
Others, however, felt three weeks was far too soon to make such a decision and encouraged the employer to give her more time to settle into a new environment and adjust to the family’s expectations.
One commenter wrote, “Perhaps 3 weeks is too short a time to judge. Allow her more time to settle in and adapt to your family’s habits.”
Another suggested that the bad breath could be caused by an underlying medical issue rather than poor hygiene alone.
“It’s either rotten teeth or digestive problem. Bring her to the dentist… because if she has this issue every hour, then brushing has no point. As for her dandruff, you must buy her at least 2 different types of shampoo and alternate use every week”
A third added, “I find being direct is better as most helpers have poor understanding of English. Tell her upfront the smell is bad, and you are giving her a solution to her problem, so she better do something.”
“I had a Filipina helper with very bad dandruff, big white flakes, white powdery stuff falls on her black shirt. I bought her anti-dandruff shampoo and lend her the hair dryer to dry her hair.
“If she doesn’t want to help herself with her personal hygiene despite you providing her the tools, it says alot about the person’s willingness to change or improve.”
In other news, a Singaporean worker is desperately seeking advice online after being told to take on an “executive-level” project despite earning an assistant’s salary and having no extensive experience managing such work.
In a post on Reddit, the worker shared that he holds an assistant position that pays S$2,500 a month, which is S$700 less than the S$3,200 earned by executives who would typically be tasked with projects like this.
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