Employer wants maid to wash her clothes separately, then says, “she doesn’t have many clothes, it would be a waste of water and electricity to use the washing machine”

SINGAPORE: An employer who did not want her maid to wash her clothes together with the family’s, took to social media asking others for advice.

In an anonymous post to a Facebook support group, the woman wrote: “I would like to ask my helper to wash her clothes separately. I’m not comfortable with having her wash her clothes together with my family’s”. She explained that she had nothing against her maid and said that she did not even like it when her own siblings washed their clothes with hers.

“Since she is just 1 person and she doesn’t have many clothes, it would be a waste of water and electricity to use the washing machine. So I plan to buy for her a mini portable washing machine for her to use whenever she wants to wash her clothes”, the woman wrote. In her post, she asked other employers if they, too, did this. She also asked other helpers how they would feel if their employers told them to wash their clothes separately.

Here’s what others said in the group:

Last year, one domestic helper took her employer’s clothes, wore them, took photos, and then posted them online.

The woman, posting anonymously, asked for advice on what to do from “fellow employers” and “foreign helpers” on the FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum) on Wednesday (Oct 26).

In comments to the post, the woman explained that the helper had only been working for her for two months and is already considering replacing her.

She had also given the helper some of her own clothes.

One helper encouraged the woman to confront her helper.

“I know some helper(s) didn’t know what is (the) importance of respect and don’t bother about privacy other people,” she wrote.

The woman thanked her for her feedback but replied that she’s already done this.

“I have confronted her earlier on which she deleted her posts before replying to me with few defensive explanations before apologising. I will have a discussion with my family on whether we will look for a replacement helper. She is only working for me close to two months only too.”

Read the full story here: 

Maid takes employer’s clothes without permission, and posts photos of herself wearing them online