Maid says her employers, who went on holiday, gave her only $100 a month for food

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper took to social media asking if the money her employers had given her when they went on holiday was enough.

In an anonymous post to a support group for domestic helpers and employers alike, the maid wrote that her employers went back to their home country for about two months. During this time, they left her home alone. “My emp go back to they are (sic) country about 2 months and they only gave me $100 for a month to buy food. I want to know is that enought with $100?” the maid asked.

Others who commented on her post were divided, with some saying that $100 a month was enough if she cooked at home, but others adding that it was barely enough money.

Here’s what they wrote:

Earlier this year, another foreign domestic helper who refused to stay at home alone while her employers went overseas got to go on her own holiday as well.

In an anonymous post to the Facebook page, the maid’s employer wrote that she and her family had planned to go overseas on a short family trip. However, she added that her helper did not want to stay in their house alone, so “we will treat her to a holiday at a place of her interest somewhere else”.

She also wrote that she would be giving her maid paid leave and covering the cost of her flight tickets as well. “Any idea if we should also cover her accommodation? This is on top of her fully paid home leave which we have already approved. What is your arrangement for helper when employer goes overseas for holiday?” the woman asked netizens in her post.

Maid does not want to stay home alone while employers go overseas so they send her on holiday as well