Maid’s employer asks her to ‘handle his family’s shoes’ each time they leave and return home

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean family has allegedly required their domestic helper to “handle their shoes” each time they leave or return home, sparking concerns about her treatment.

On Saturday (Feb 8), an acquaintance of the family shared her observations on Reddit’s ‘Singapore Raw’ forum. She said she had seen the maid rush to the doorstep whenever a family member arrived home. Her task was to collect their shoes and neatly place them in the shoe cabinet outside.

The helper was reportedly expected to do the same when the family members left the house. Before their departure, she had to step outside, retrieve their shoes, and arrange them properly at the doorstep for them to wear. “The maid does look very unhappy. The face is black every time I see her,” she remarked.

She then asked other Singaporeans in the forum, writing, “Is this called abuse or not?” 

“They should be treated with respect and dignity”

The post quickly gained traction on the platform, sparking a debate among forum users about the treatment of domestic helpers in Singapore.

Several users felt that making the helper do this was “abusive,” saying it went beyond usual household chores and felt more like treating her as a servant.

One user said, “Wealthy ancient Romans had a slave whose sole job was to accompany the master/mistress and undo his/her sandal straps when arriving at home or a party and doing them up when leaving. Those were slaves in ancient Rome, though. Completely inappropriate for our context.”

Another commented, “My family always had a rule that we can’t treat our helper as a servant and ask for water and to bring us stuff. She’s there to cook and clean but not to be our personal errand woman. And we definitely get scolded if we shout at her. That’s how all maids should be treated. With respect and dignity.”

Others, however, took a more neutral stance, suggesting that the task might not necessarily be abusive, depending on the overall working conditions and how the family treated the helper in other aspects.

One user wrote, “No. Shoes are just shoes. If the family does it because either they or the helper has strong negative beliefs about the dirtiness of shoes, it’s not a big deal.”

Another added, “What’s wrong with that? Many places that require you to take off shoes also help customers arrange their shoes neatly.”

Domestic helper’s duties

The specific tasks a domestic helper can or cannot do are unclear. However, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) specifies on its website that helpers cannot assist in an employer’s business nor perform clinical duties that registered healthcare professionals should handle. They may, however, assist in caring for children, sick, or elderly family members.

During the required Settling-In and Employers’ Orientation Programmes, both helpers and employers get a general idea of expected duties. Still, specific tasks aren’t always listed since every household is different.

Employers with particular requests, like tutoring or massage, should discuss them upfront. If helpers are unsure about their duties, they can check with their agency or MOM for guidance.

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Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)