SINGAPORE: A domestic helper took to social media to express her frustration after her employer failed to honour their initial agreement regarding her working hours and compensation.
Posting in the ‘MDW in Singapore’ Facebook group, the helper detailed how she was initially promised a designated rest time and additional pay for working on two Sundays per month.
However, after just three months, her employer stopped compensating her for those extra days, and her rest time was gradually pushed later into the night. Instead of resting at 9:00 p.m. as originally agreed, she now often has to wait until 11:00 p.m. or even midnight, depending on when her employers return home.
“It depends on what time they will arrive from work and if they have to go home very late. They never inform me; they will just text me when it’s already midnight, so I haven’t put the food in the fridge yet and washed all the pans,” she said.
Gruelling daily routine
The helper also revealed that she has a gruelling daily routine, which starts at 5 a.m. She explained:
“This is my timeline: I wake up at 5 a.m. to cook breakfast and prepare their snacks for school. Then I send them to school and go back home. I usually arrive home around 7:30-8:00 a.m., eat breakfast, and then do the cleaning, laundry, cook lunch, and iron if I still have time because I can’t do it in the afternoon.”
“By 1 p.m., I need to fetch them, and we arrive around 3 p.m. We eat lunch; then I cook again. At 6:30 p.m., we have dinner. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., they shower while I clean the dishes. Then, after cleaning the things we used for dinner, I need to clean up their mess from playing, and then I shower.”
“Their bedtime is 9:30 p.m., and they fall asleep at 10 p.m. I need to wait for their parents until they arrive, usually around 10:30 p.m. They finish eating around 11:00 p.m., and then I need to clean up again.”
No support from her employer
The helper further shared that she receives no support from her employer when it comes to disciplining the children, who often misbehave and leave a mess for her to clean.
“For me, it’s so tiring since I don’t have experience taking care of kids, and I don’t have a family of my own, and it’s exhausting since they’re naughty kids that wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Sometimes I tend to scold them because of that, and then they will tell their mother about it, and instead of scolding them, she will scold me because she said I don’t have the right to scold them. So what am I supposed to do if they do annoying things? Just let them?” the helper asked.
“I just want her to teach her kids good manners, but she wouldn’t do it. Sometimes, she smiles if the kids are rude towards me; she thinks it’s cute and savage.”
After a year of enduring her exhausting workload, the children’s antics, and constant scoldings, the helper confessed in her post that she is now desperate to transfer but doesn’t know how to do it.
“You have to move out of this house as soon as possible…”
Many netizens quickly filled the comments section with kind and encouraging messages, showing sympathy for the helper’s struggles. Some told her to put her well-being first and not tolerate such a stressful situation
One netizen said, “You wake up at 5 a.m. and can only sleep at 11 p.m. That’s more than 12 hours [of] work. Find another employer. I am sure some nice family will employ you. Health is very important.”
Another commented, “Your post is stressing me out. Even machines can overwork and stop; how about humans? How’s your day? This is not a healthy environment for you. You have to move out of this house as soon as possible. They cannot keep humans in their house like robots.”
A third said, “That’s a horrible employer. I never ask my helper to wait for me or my hubby if we are late. She automatically keeps all the leftovers after 8 p.m. If we return to eat, we will heat up and clean up ourselves. You should consider a transfer.”
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, the helper later commented on her post to express her gratitude. She wrote, “Thank you everyone. I decided to just go to the agency and tell them. I appreciate all the nice words you guys commented.”
Where to get help
If you are a domestic helper and believe your rights are not being upheld, it is important to thoroughly review your employment contract. According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), this document should outline your salary, placement loan, number of rest days per month, compensation in lieu of rest day, notice period and compensation in lieu of termination notice.
If you find that something doesn’t seem quite right—for instance, if your salary is lower than expected or you’re not receiving the promised rest days—the first step should always be to communicate your concerns to your employer.
Sometimes, misunderstandings arise from miscommunication, and a simple, direct conversation can often clear things up. It’s advisable to approach this discussion calmly and respectfully, as it can lead to a more positive resolution.
However, if your employer refuses to follow the agreed terms or disregards your concerns, you don’t have to handle the situation alone.
You can seek assistance from your employment agency, contact the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) at 1800-339-5505, or reach out to non-governmental organizations like the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) at 1800-2255-233, where you can receive guidance and support in your native language.
Read also: SG worker claims her actual job differs from the job description, asks, ‘Is this ethical?’
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)