‘She came out with a different shirt and hairstyle’ — Employer discovers maid used belongings without permission, considers installing CCTV in master bedroom

SINGAPORE: A local employer felt uneasy after checking her living room’s CCTV footage and noticing something she did not expect. Her helper was seen walking out of the master bedroom wearing a different shirt and a new hairstyle.

She shared the incident in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group on Tuesday (Jul 29), explaining that the helper is only supposed to enter the master bedroom for about 30 minutes a day to clean.

However, on the day she went out for a medical check-up, she saw on the CCTV that the helper had stayed in the room for almost two hours.

“[My helper] came out from my room with a different shirt and hairstyle. I saw her pictures posted on Facebook that she took many selfies in my room, on my bed which I’m very uncomfortable with,” the employer wrote. “She is informed from the start that she is not allowed to change clothes in both the bedrooms even though there is no CCTV in rooms.”

She also mentioned that she had never considered installing a camera in the bedroom, as it is a private space shared only by her, her husband, and their toddler.

She then sought advice from the online community, asking whether she’s allowed to install a CCTV camera in the bedroom and if she would need to inform the helper beforehand.

“Also, I’m going to have a newborn soon, and I might need her help to make him sleep during the day in my room (baby cot is in my room). Do I need to tell her about the addition of CCTV in my room?”

“She has an attitude and no respect for your privacy.”

Worried for her safety, her personal space, and her upcoming baby, many encouraged the employer to set up a CCTV camera in the master bedroom

“Very daring helper. Just put [a CCTV]. You don’t have to inform her. Your house, not hers,” one netizen said.

“That’s fine, because it’s your right to put many CCTVs in the house and rooms to avoid unwanted things happening. Nowadays, so many maids cross the line even when the employer treats them well,” another chimed in.

“Watch the CCTV footage with her, ma’am, and then tell her to never touch your personal things or sit on your bed to take photos again. Your helper assumed too much—she used your clothes and took photos in your bedroom to post on social media. Now her friends and others think she’s rich. OMG. Better to terminate her. She has an attitude and no respect for your privacy,” a third commented.

Additionally, a few others suggested that the employer lock the master bedroom door before leaving the house to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Guidelines for installing CCTV at home

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employers in Singapore are allowed to install CCTV cameras in their homes, as long as they inform their domestic helpers about the presence and exact locations of the devices.

MOM also states that cameras must not be installed in areas where the helper’s privacy or modesty could be compromised. This includes sleeping quarters, places where she changes clothes, and bathrooms.

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