SINGAPORE: A foreign domestic helper took to social media asking which house she should register her address as now that her employers had separated. The maid seemed unhappy that she had to live with the woman as she claimed the latter did not feed her properly.
In an anonymous post to a Facebook help group for domestic helpers, the maid wrote that her employers had been separated since 2021. She said she did not mind the situation until recently when she was asked to change her registered address on her Work Permit. The maid wrote that the woman asked her to move to her house and to change her accordingly. However, the maid wrote that her ‘Sir’, the woman’s former husband, had just updated the address on her Work Permit to his residence.
“her answer is its illegal here in singapore if your going to stay in a single man house”, the woman told the maid. The woman explained that she and her husband were still legally married, just separated but said that she was worried the maid would be fined by the Manpower Ministry (MOM) if this situation came to light.
“question is where should i stay? To my employer that is declared MOM or to substitute employer? Who dont know how to feed her helper? They involved me to this situation that they never talk to me that since we are separated you need to clean 2 house now”, the maid wrote.
According to the MOM,
“A helper:
- Requires a valid Work Permit.
- Can only work for her employer at the residential address declared to MOM.
- Can only perform domestic chores.
- Cannot take on work with other employers. “
Here’s what netizens who commented on the post said:
Earlier this year, another foreign domestic worker took to social media asking if it was legal for her employers to make her sign an agreement handing over her passport and work permit to them.
In an anonymous post to Facebook page FDW in Singapore (working conditions forum), the maid wrote: “Hello permission to post admin as i want to seek advice and hope you can help me”.
She then asked netizens in the group: “Is it legal that your employer let you sign an agreement that you allow them to look after your passport and work permit?and they just give you a copy on it?”