SINGAPORE: An employer was unhappy that her helper would only return after 10 pm on her days off, but other maids felt that this was unreasonable and said, “Remember it’s not time off, It’s day off”.
In an anonymous post to a Facebook group for domestic helpers and employers alike, the woman wrote: “In general, does a helper normally went out on their rest days (Sunday) and return late 10pm onwards or more later”.
She added that her maid would not even inform her that she would be back late. “we’ve a baby we’re already worrying and this helper adds up to that”, the employer wrote.
Most helpers who commented on the post felt that returning at 10 pm was fair. They also said that if the helper had to work in the morning before going out, she should even get to come back later.
Here’s what they wrote:
Earlier this week, a foreign domestic helper took to social media to say she had to buy her own food and toiletries, share a room where she did not get uninterrupted rest, and had to clean another house twice a week.
She added that she was only paid $600 and got a day off only once a month.
In her anonymous post to a support group for foreign domestic helpers and employers alike, the maid shared that it was her first time working in Singapore and she had only been here for nine months. Her main job was looking after a 20-year-old bedridden patient. The helper explained, “I’m the one who buy my things including my (breakfast, toiletries, and data) I only have once a month off which is I need to do everything in the morning like shower the girl,feed her , cook her lunch , wash clothes , and set the table . When I come back six pm I need to cook the girls food and do some household chores , they don’t even buy dinner for me even I come back early”.