SINGAPORE: An employer took to social media asking others for advice because her foreign domestic helper wanted three months’ worth of salary to take with her when she went back on leave.
In an anonymous post to a Facebook group for domestic helpers, the employer wrote that she was “just asking for a little more context so I can make a decision on giving an advance to my helper before she goes on home leave”. She explained that her maid was going on leave for a month and that she paid for her helper’s return ticket. In addition, she also gave her maid 2 months’ salary to take with her. Despite this, the employer wrote that her maid “has requested for an additional 1 month advance salary, saying that she’d like to take her family on trips within the Philippines and her 2-month fund would not be enough. So that’s 3 months’ salary”.
“When I told her me paying for her ticket and her month’s leave would already save her a lot, she said all her friends have their return ticket and leave paid by their employers, it’s common practice. She hasn’t gone home in 4 years because of COVID and wants to plan a good time for her family. But she also said this was just a request and it’s okay if I refuse the additional 3rd month payout”, the woman wrote. She added that she was willing to give her domestic helper an advance for necessities but said that she did not want to encourage her to use money she did not yet have to splurge.
She asked other maids in the group if “if 60k–90k PHP is very little as she put it. I’m not familiar with expenses and the prices of things there. I’d also like to know if it’s common practice for employers to give return tickets and paid leave, because I really thought I was helping a lot more than others. I previously advanced her 9k SGD to renovate home, which she just finished paying off last month”.
Others in the group who commented on the post said that it was indeed a lot of money and urged the employer to consider carefully before making her decision. Here’s what they said:
Last month, an employer of a foreign domestic helper took to social media asking if she was obliged to give her helper an advance on her salary.
In an anonymous post to a Facebook group for domestic helpers, the woman wrote that her maid had been working for her for eight months. “Few days back she wanted to advance her 2.5k. When asked for the reason, the money will be used for the downpayment for her house”, she wrote. She explained that the maid asked for $500 to be deducted from her salary for the next five months to make up for the advance payment.
“Should we as employers be obliged to advance her pay? Also, we are afraid if we don’t she would do something funny with our young kids. Appreciate all of your feedback on this matter”, the woman wrote, asking others in the group for advice.
On the Manpower Ministry (MOM) website, under allowable salary deductions was the following: “For recovering advances, loans, overpaid salary or unearned employment benefits.
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- For advances, your employer can deduct your salary in instalments spread over not more than 12 months. Each instalment should not exceed 25% of your salary for the salary period.
- For loans, your employer can deduct your salary in instalments. Each instalment should not exceed 25% of your salary for the salary period.
- For overpaid salary and unearned employment benefits, your employer can recover the full amount from you”