SINGAPORE: An employer took to social media asking others if they gave an allowance to their helper every month and how much money they would give her. In an anonymous post to a support group for domestic helpers and employers alike, the employer wanted to know the general consensus and how others paid their helpers.
One employer wrote: “I give my helper 130 per month extra because she has a lot of friend and a boyfriend. On top of that, I organize parties for her friends to come my house and I buy alot of nice food and drinks to entertain them. Lastly she has 6 days off and can bring her friends to my house to gather but limit to 10 pax. Hope she enjoy her work here. Year end if my business is good, she get additional 4 months bonus with yearly air ticket going back to Indonesia. I hope I am making her happy”.
A helper wrote: “me 30$. But im free from everything.. and except from my allowance she still give me another 50$ incase im with kids or i go out i can use it.. then if not much give me again extra.. just update how much left money with me”.
Last year, a maid took to social media complaining that her employer was going on holiday for two weeks but did not pay her salary or give her any money for food. In a post to Facebook group FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), the maid wrote that she was unsure about her situation and also how to ask her employers for money. She added that in preparation for the two-week trip, her employer started telling her what she needed to do a week ago, and even “put camera to make sure I’m working while they’re away”.
Though she thought the family would leave three days after she wrote the post, she noted that her female employer and two children had already left. Only her employer’s husband was still at home. The maid said in her post that she had a letter from the Manpower Ministry (MOM) for her medical checkup but her employers did not give her any money. “who suppose to pay my medical, me or my employer?” the helper wrote.
She also said that they did not pay her salary. “i suppose to ask her today to have it advanced because they’re gone for 2weeks,but when she wake up just send the kid to school and when she come back she was in a hurry cause they need to go already”, the maid wrote. Additionally, her employers did not give her any money for food and only bought rice. The helper wrote that she was not sure if she wanted to ask her employer’s husband who was still at home. She was afraid to talk to him lest he picks a fight with his wife, ruining their vacation.