Maid claims employer still gives her chores around 10 PM and threatens to send her home if she resigns

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper recently went on social media to vent that her employer has been constantly dumping long lists of household chores on her late at night, especially on weekends when she isn’t in charge of putting the child to bed.

Posting anonymously in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid/Domestic Helper Facebook group on Monday (Nov 3), she said she wanted to leave her current employer but couldn’t because they refused to give her a release paper.

She added that her employer allegedly warned her that if she resigned, she would be sent back to her home country instead of being allowed to transfer to another employer in Singapore.

To back up her claims, the helper shared screenshots of her WhatsApp chats with her employer.

In one message, sent around 9:32 p.m., the employer instructed her to clean the entire balcony floor, sink, and windows; deep clean and organise the kitchen; and remove and clean all the shoes and the shoe cabinet.

In another message sent at about 10:45 p.m., the employer provided yet another list of chores, asking her to deep clean the fridge and freezer; wash the kitchen and bathroom bins; scrub all the walls; clean the carpets, floors, and windows; and thoroughly clean the entire flat—including areas under the sofa, beds, showcases, and TV stand.

“It’s a to-do list without a deadline. Nothing abusive.”

Netizens who came across the post sympathised with the domestic helper, saying her working conditions sounded extremely tiring and unfair.

One commenter encouraged her to prioritise her mental health and leave the household, writing, “You should just resign. It’s not worth it if your employer is still making you clean in the middle of the night.”

Another advised her to document everything, saying, “Save all the messages from your employer as evidence. Report this to the Ministry of Manpower because what they’re doing isn’t right.”

A third remarked, “This is a serious abuse. At that hour, you should already be resting in bed.”

Still, not everyone agreed with the helper’s claims. Some netizens argued that the screenshots she posted did not necessarily show that she was forced to work late into the night. They suggested that her employer might have simply been sending her a list of chores to complete the next day.

One wrote, “It’s a to-do list without a deadline. Nothing abusive. I send my helper an even longer list on Sunday evening after her off-day, for the upcoming week.”

Another added, “I think that’s a TO DO list for the following days. Employers tend to do that, they send the list of house chores for the next day at night when they are free, considering (that) they are working the whole day. Try to communicate to your employer, say exactly your concerns.”

Adequate rest for helpers

According to the Ministry of Manpower, all employers must ensure that their domestic helpers receive adequate rest. 

Every helper is entitled to one rest day each week, and both the employer and the helper should discuss and agree on which day works best.

Employers who fail to provide the required rest day may face enforcement action from the authorities.

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