SINGAPORE: An employer of a helper who wanted to leave after 2 weeks took to social media asking if it was a good idea to bring in a fresh helper to go through tasks with the one on her way out.
In an anonymous post to a Facebook help group for employers and helpers, the woman wrote that her new maid would join her in about a week. Her current helper, who had only been with the family for about two weeks, “doesn’t want to work anymore as now she wants to go back to her own country. She couldn’t even give me a proper reason that she wants to leave”, the woman added.
She said that after her maid told her she wanted to leave, the latter became lazier and started complaining about her workload. This came as a surprise to the woman because she interviewed her helper 3 times before hiring her. “She was ok and very very willing to join during interview. So we took her”, the employer added.
“When it comes to overlapping, we both are busy working parents and no time to teach the new helper. And big concern is my toddler might be affected emotionally / won’t accept to be taken care by new helper suddenly. So I thought of overlapping and slowly take over by new one. On the other hand , new helper will be bad influenced by current one. Possible to tell new helper abt current one openly and not to listen to her with her heart?” the woman wrote, asking netizens for advice on what to do.
Most employers who commented on the post suggested that the new helper be trained separately such that she did not get a chance to meet the current helper.
Here’s what they wrote:
Earlier this month, another foreign domestic helper took to social media asking for advice after the other maid in her employer’s home started bullying her.
In a post to a Facebook group for domestic helpers, the maid wrote that she had worked in Singapore for a year and seven months. After her contract ended, she added that she was unsure whether she should renew her contract or find another employer. The maid explained that her “boss is very good, they are really very good”, but added that the other helper in the house was the problem.
The other helper had been working for her employer for six years already, and the maid wrote: “I don’t like her, because she is selfish, she wants to be appreciated but she doesn’t want to respect, When the boss is not at home, she acts like a boss, telling me to do this and that, if I don’t want to, she hates me”. While the maid contemplated telling her employer about how the other helper treated her, she was afraid that this would cause further sentiments of anger.
“I’m confused what to do, while I’m still new here. Please give me advice, should I stay or move” the helper asked others in the group. Netizens who commented on the post had mixed responses. Some told her to speak to her employer, while others who said they experienced similar situations told her to be transferred elsewhere.