SINGAPORE: A woman recently brought a troubling situation to light on social media, alleging that her former domestic helper is being mistreated and exploited by her current employer.
In a detailed post on r/singapore on Wednesday (Aug 7), she described the harsh conditions the helper has faced since moving to her new workplace.
“Her now employer has not given her any daily meals, she is not allowed to use the kitchen, she must pay for her own medical visits and does gardening, all the time being scolded by an educated, articulate estranged woman,” she wrote.
“Her daily meals have been cooked all this time on her day off, in a friends kitchen, then carried back, stored in a bedroom fridge. She cooks her rice and reheats her food in an old rice cooker that she had to buy.”
The situation worsened after the helper submitted her notice three months ago and informed her employer about securing a new job. “Suddenly she is given petty food items occasionally and unable to get the release papers signed,” the woman said.
Her agent has also been notified of the situation, but nothing has been done thus far because “the helper appears healthy.” The helper’s limited English skills also made it difficult for others to believe her, leaving her feeling isolated and desperate.
“WE, the family have Text, pictures and many messages over the 2 year period to verify,” she said. “How can this treatment be stopped and her papers signed?”
“PS. She was given a red packet at CNY but later was asked to return it! Note She needs to work and does not want to cause any trouble, that`s why it has dragged on and she fears being sent home if she does.”
“Please please contact MOM, and HOME immediately.”
Many netizens expressed their outrage and support in the comments section, urging the woman to immediately address the alleged mistreatment and secure justice for the domestic helper.
One netizen said, “MOM is actually very pro-fdw when it comes to abusive cases. Just call the MOM hotline anonymously to seek guidance.”
Another commented, “Please please contact the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) immediately.”
A third suggested, “Try to get her to reach out to fast.org.sg . Their 24hr hotline is 1800-339-4357. Hopefully they can provide her with the help she needs.”
Adding to the discussion, a few netizens also stressed that domestic helpers should be entitled to fair wages sufficient to cover their own living expenses and that their employment terms should be on par with other workers in Singapore.
They pointed out that domestic helpers often face numerous disadvantages in their line of work, such as the lack of choice in selecting employers, the risk of deportation upon resignation or termination, minimal annual leave granted only after fulfilling a two-year contract, and meager salaries that barely meet basic living expenses.
According to them, these conditions highlight a pressing need for reform to ensure that domestic helpers are treated with the respect and fairness they deserve.
One netizen remarked, “Insane that this is allowed to happen in Singapore. Every now and then we hear of such stories but there must be thousands more suffering silently who are not lucky enough to have someone helping them complain.
They should be paid enough wages to buy their own food and be paid according to number of hours agreed per week. They should also be allowed to the same rights as every other employee in Singapore.”
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