Maid says, ‘My “perfectionist” employer wants me to cut all the vegetables the same size, like a professional chef’

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper working for a family from India in Singapore has gone public with a detailed account of what she describes as an overwhelming and stressful work environment, saying her employer’s expectations have turned her daily routine, including her rest day, into something resembling factory-line labour.

Posting in the Facebook group Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid/Domestic Helper, the helper said that what was promised during the interview differed sharply from reality once work began. During the interview, she asked about her off-day arrangements and was told she could go out in the evening. “I asked them about the day off time, and the employer asked me what time I wanted to go out on my day off. I replied: 7-8 a.m., but they said that they could only let me go from 8:30-9 a.m., because I need to prepare breakfast for them,” she wrote.

The employer also clarified that the morning duties were limited. According to the helper, the employer told her, “Just help cut vegetables, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. After that, you can go out.” But that, she said, was not as simple, and it did not turn out to be the actual case.

“Now, my day off changed to 11 a.m. because I need to help with their lunch first…”

The helper was shocked on her first official rest day because instead of being allowed to leave early as discussed, she was told she could only go out at 10 a.m. and only after completing a long list of chores.

The employer told her, “You clean the three rooms first, sweeping and mopping the dining area, side kitchen, and laundry side, and also do the ironing.”

After finishing those tasks, she still had to cut vegetables. On top of that, she woke up at 6 a.m. to defrost meat, chicken, fish, or prawns. “I didn’t expect to help my sir to cook first until I finish, then I can go out,” she said after being pulled into full cooking duties on her day off.

The timeline kept shifting later. When her employer woke up at 9.30 a.m., the helper then had to prepare tea and clean the bedroom. “Now, my day off changed to 11 a.m. because I need to help with their lunch first,” she added.

“I feel like I am treated like a robot…”

Beyond rest days, the helper described a demanding weekday schedule from Monday to Saturday, with strict time limits attached to each task.

“My employer asks me to finish sweeping the floor, mopping, vacuuming the carpet, chair, sofa, dusting the cabinet, room cabinets, and ironing one basket of clothes, which must all be finished in 30 minutes.”

Tuesdays were even heavier. “Every Tuesday, I am to iron with a bedsheet also, and if it takes more than 30 minutes, my employer scolds me because they want me to finish everything before 11:30 a.m., because at 11:30 a.m. I am to start preparing their lunch, even though they only eat lunch at 5 p.m.”

The helper also said she was sent on grocery runs under pressure. “I am told to go to the FairPrice supermarket, and must buy things within 30 minutes. The FairPrice is 10 minutes walking distance from the house.”

The cumulative effect left her emotionally drained. “I feel like I am treated like a robot.”

“My ‘perfectionist’ employer wants me to cut all the vegetables the same size, like a professional chef…”

On top of the demanding and unreasonable workload, what troubled her most was the level of scrutiny applied to even small tasks.

“My ‘perfectionist’ employer wants me to cut all the vegetables the same size, like a professional chef,” she said, adding that mistakes were met with even more scolding.

Despite the stress, she said she was hesitant to walk away. “I’m so stressed, but I don’t want to break the contract. I want to finish it,” she wrote, before asking fellow helpers and employers for advice: “Should I continue working for them or not?”

In a postscript, she added that key duties on her day off were never properly discussed up front. “For my day off, they didn’t mention or discuss that I need to help cook their lunch, do the ironing, clean all the rooms, dining area, kitchen and laundry, sweep and mop.”

Commenters say, “If you really can’t handle it, just leave and find another employer. Love yourself first…”

The post drew swift reactions, with many commenters expressing concern and encouraging her to take action.

One commenter urged communication: “You need to talk to them. Because if you’re quiet, they’ll think it’s fine for you.”

Another warned that silence could worsen the situation. “Speak up, girl, don’t keep quiet. On the first day, you must complain, so then they will not continue to abuse you on your day off.”

Several suggested prioritising her well-being. “Don’t stress yourself. If you really can’t handle it, just leave and find another employer. Love yourself first.”

Others pointed her towards official channels, the Ministry of Manpower. “Report to MOM,” one commenter wrote.

Even an employer weighed in, criticising the expectations described. “As an employer, I can say your employer is too much. So perfectionist. It’s better they just do their own housework and not hire a helper,” adding that flexibility matters.

“On your day off, out of goodwill, you can do some basic housework and leave the house, but not so much like this. Your employer is crazy. I don’t think there’s anyone like this extreme,” the commenting employer concluded.

A dilemma for many helpers alike

While the post reflects one individual’s experience, it echoes a broader issue often raised in domestic worker forums: the gap between the terms agreed in interviews and expectations after employment begins.

For this one helper, it’s more than just perfectly chopping vegetables. It’s more about unclear boundaries, expanded duties, and rest days that feel anything but restful. As her post shows, the question she faces is one many helpers quietly struggle with: whether enduring stress is worth completing a contract, or whether walking away is the healthier choice.

Read related: Maid says, ‘My employer asks me to cook fancy meals like in a restaurant, but there’s only 1 cabbage in the fridge, and they refused to give me a grocery allowance’