She said, she said: Maid said she quit because she was given ‘nothing’ to do, but employer claims she was just on her phone all day

SINGAPORE: An Indonesian helper who was supposed to look after a 78-year-old woman quit after a short while, leaving without warning. Although reports say the helper claimed that her job had been very stressful, the woman she was supposed to care for said the helper was on her phone all day long.

According to a report in Shin Min Daily News, the maid had been hired by the woman’s son in September 2024. Two months later, when the woman, Madam Lian, left the house to exercise, the maid left as well. Accompanied by her agent, she returned the next day for her belongings.

The agency told the Chinese-language daily that because Madam Lian did not let her do any household chores, the helper felt so stressed that she decided to leave rather than continue to work for Madam Lian.

Since then, the agency claims that the helper has found a new position with a family that is satisfied with her work, praising her for how she takes care of their elderly family members.

The helper had initially been hired by a man who often travelled out of Singapore for work. He wanted a companion for his mother, who lives alone, so he would not have to worry about her while he was away. As his mother, however, is still healthy and strong, she is able to do household chores. Therefore, when she was unsatisfied with the way the helper was doing these chores, the elderly woman did them herself.

It was the helper’s first job n Singapore, although she claimed she had previously worked in Hong Kong.

At first, Madam Lian asked her to prepare meals for her. However, she was not satisfied with how the helper cut vegetables and cooked dishes, leading her to decide to cook for herself. The employer admitted to being particular about her food. As for laundry, in a similar fashion, the helper only washed her own garments, while Madam Lian had to fend for herself.

“When she arrived, I realised she would just be on her phone all day,” the employer was quoted as saying.

Another sore point between them was that the helper frequently complained to Madam Lian’s son that his mum never took her anywhere. The elderly woman argued, however, that she had things to do when she went out, and that did not make it feasible for her to take the helper along.

According to the agency, they have come to understand that Madam Lian had no interest in having a helper but gave way when her son insisted. That is probably why she did not give the helper household chores but chose to do them herself.

Additionally, Madam Liam said she was missing some thousands of dollars in cash and suspected that the helper could have taken the money. However, while she lodged a report with the police, there was no evidence that the helper took the money. The helper was also interviewed by the police concerning the missing amount, according to the agency.

The featured image above is from Depositphotos and is for illustration purposes only. /TISG

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