Maid asks, ‘Why does my employer keep checking my bag every week before I go out, and when I come back from my day off?’

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper has taken to Facebook to share her troubling privacy violation experience — her employer insists on checking her bag before and after her day off every single week, even before she removes her shoes.

“Every Sunday when I come back from my day off, she (employer) keeps asking me to show my bag… and I haven’t even taken off my shoes yet,” the helper wrote in the popular Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group.

Having worked in Singapore for more than 10 years, she said this was the first time she encountered such extreme behaviour. She then asked other employers in the group, “Do you check your helper’s bag before she goes out and after she comes back from her day off? Do you check her things when she’s not around?”

Her concern sparked an outpouring of support and shock from helpers and employers — along with calls to report the employer to the authorities.

“Even my [underwear] also need to show her in front of her husband…”

The post unleashed a string of disturbing anecdotes. One commenter, recalling her first employer, wrote: “Even my [underwear] also need to show her in front of her husband.”

Others expressed their disbelief, sharing that their own employers respected boundaries — even when it came to larger packages sent overseas.

“My employer never checked my belongings, even when I sent boxes to the Philippines,” said one helper. “On my day off, I have my own key to my room, but I never lock it — because my employer and I trust each other so much.”

Another member didn’t beat around the bush in asking to take immediate action: “You must go report her to MOM (Ministry of Manpower), then change boss.”

“Not supposed to check the helper’s bag. MOM has a privacy clause…”

One commenter noted: “Not supposed to check the helper’s bag. MOM has a privacy clause,” which was attached with the image below:

So employers are expected to treat their helpers with dignity and respect. Regular, invasive bag inspections may constitute unreasonable behaviour, especially if no justifiable cause has been given — such as missing items or prior incidents.

Treated like a thief

Bag checks — before and after rest days — point to a lack of trust and can be deeply humiliating for domestic helpers, especially when done without consent or explanation. For a helper who has served a family faithfully for a decade, being treated like a potential thief every Sunday is insulting and dehumanising.

The core issue in the bag check represents a power imbalance, where privacy, autonomy, and respect are replaced by surveillance, suspicion, and control.

Trust must go both ways

The Facebook post serves as a reminder that trust must go both ways. Helpers who are trusted are more likely to go above and beyond their responsibilities. Those who feel micromanaged, disrespected, or violated: Not so much.

So instead of playing detective every weekend, employers might consider a more effective long-term strategy: Clear communication, mutual respect, and boundaries that don’t strip a worker of her basic dignity.

After all, if you have to check someone’s bag every Sunday… the real question might be: Who’s really failing the relationship?

Read related: Maid asks, ‘Why do employers always want us to leave our bedroom doors open? Why is this such a big deal? Why so many headaches for us?’