Maid wants her salary in cash instead of bank transfer; she wants to pass the money to her friend who will pass it to the helper’s family

SINGAPORE: An employer reluctant to pay her maid’s salary in cash took to social media asking other helpers and employers for their opinions.

In an anonymous post to a support group, the woman wrote that her Burmese helper requested her salary in cash instead of it being transferred to her “as she told me that she will pass the money to her friend to help transfer the money to her family. I’m worried that she will be cheated on her money as she is pretty new here”, the employer said.

She then asked if it was normal practice for helpers to receive their salary in cash. She also wanted to know: “Do Myanmar helper usually seek another source to transfer money to their family instead of doing it themselves? Is it trustworthy?”

Here’s what others who commented on the post said:

Earlier this year, the friend of a domestic helper took to social media to share her companion’s dire situation.

In an anonymous post to a support group for domestic helpers and employers alike, the maid’s friend shared that the helper was abused by her employer. She said that the maid did not receive her monthly salary in full and that her employers would deduct her pay for little mistakes that she might make. “her employer is Indian family and they slap and pull her hair hardly, she fell so hurt but can’t help herself, they don’t allow her use hand phone. Any advice how can I help her ,I am worried something bad will happen to her”, the friend wrote.

The helper was likely Burmese, and because she had been with her employers for about a year, the friend wrote that the agency did not want to help her get a transfer or go back to her transfer. To send her back, the friend said that the agency wanted $4,000. “How is that possible her deduction is over very long ago and ask her to pay $4000 .please help me my friend is need help”, the woman wrote. 

Netizens who commented on the post were unbiased and asked the maid’s friend for proof and evidence to submit to the Manpower Ministry (MOM). Others also urged her to ask her friend to contact the police.

Maid says her employer slapped her and pulled her hair, doesn’t pay her full salary, and agency wants $4K to send her back