SINGAPORE — A foreign domestic worker made her employer reach out to netizens on social media for advice after she tried to join their family holiday. The employer wrote that because of the cost of flights and accommodation – which they could not afford for her – they could not take her with them.
In an anonymous post to Facebook group FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), an employer wrote that he and his family had planned a short trip just for their family. He added that they had planned to leave their helper back home, but she “expressed her interest to tag along”. “How do we reconcile this? Thanks”, he asked other maids and employers in the group for advice.
Netizens who commented on the post stated the obvious – that the decision was his as an employer. However, others also suggested they could ask her to chip in and share the cost if this was possible, otherwise, they could just leave her at home with sufficient food. Another also wrote that the helper could be arranged to be at the agency.
Here’s what they said:
Another foreign domestic helper in another household insisted that her employer bring her along on their holiday, citing that she would be afraid to stay alone in their HDB flat.
In an anonymous post to Facebook page FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), the maid’s employer wrote that she and her family had planned a 3-day trip to their country of origin. Coincidentally, she also added that her helper was from the same country.
“We booked tickets only for us and now my helper is making an issue that she is scared to stay alone(hdb) and to bring her along. Flight tickets are now very expensive and we are going there for a wedding event”, the employer wrote, seemingly at a loss for what to do about her helper. She added that because of her maid’s reaction, she and her family even considered cancelling their trip.
“Becaz of this we started to think to drop the whole plan itself. Did anyone faced such situation? What will be the other solution to handle this,. Tried my best to convince her. She is a direct hire. Thanks”, the woman wrote, asking others in the group for help.
Netizens who commented on the post said that the employer should not give in to her maid’s demands and that they should house her elsewhere, such as at a hostel or a friend’s house, since their trip was only for three days.
Maid insists going on holiday with her employer, says she’s scared to stay alone in their HDB