Some bosses 'reluctant' to give maids weekly

day off


Only about a third of maids here get their weekly day off and both
they and employers are responsible for the poor record.
Since January last year, bosses are required to give maids a weekly
day off or payment in lieu. But most bosses are reluctant to give
the day off, especially if they have had constant help at home, said
employment agents.
They are supported, in some cases, by maids who prefer to be
compensated for work rather than resting because they want to
earn more money.
Employers get a maid not as a luxury but because they need the
service for their family, for example, to take care of aged family
members," said Ms Carene Chin, managing director of maid agency
Homekeeper.
Mr Jack Khoo, owner of WorldAsia Employment Agency, said seven
in 10 employers ask him whether they can withhold giving the day
off. "But when we tell them it's a rule, they'll comply," he said.
Some employers use the $5,000 security bond as an excuse, saying
that if the maid goes out and misbehaves, they will lose the money,
said Best Home Employment Agency owner Tay Khoon Beng.
"But it's not a good reason, because certain aspects of the rules
have been relaxed," he added.
The Manpower Ministry said in Parliament on Monday that of 2,000
maids surveyed who had come to Singapore to work for the first
time last year, 37 per cent were receiving a weekly day off, and 61
per cent received at least one day off per month.
The low figure may also be because maids themselves request to
work and get extra cash instead of taking the day off. This is
especially prevalent in their first year of work as they want to pay
off the placement fee, agents said.
"Most of them are very happy to get compensation in lieu and not
go out at all, especially when they are still clearing their loan," said
Madam Netty Chu, who owns Great Helpers.
Some agents remain optimistic about the trend, especially as basic
salaries are on the rise.
"There is a change - a lot of employers would rather not pay more,
and would rather their maids go out," said Madam Chu.
Mr Tay said the 37 per cent was a good score after only a year.
"Maybe by next year, it will shoot up," he added.
As contracts last for two years, by next January, all maids will be on
new contracts that have to abide by the new rule.
Employer Michelle Teo, an executive assistant, said she gives her
maid a weekly day off. "After a few days of hard work, it's time for
her to take a break and go out. I trust her and I don't ask her who
she mixes with," she said.
Maids on their days off can enjoy new facilities such as a clubhouse
set up by the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social
Support and Training.
Its executive director, Mr William Chew, said about 200 maids have
signed up for memberships so far.
The space in Tanjong Pagar will house facilities such as computer
labs and a library. A soft launch is slated for next month.
















Singapore maids to enjoy a day off: Whats your say?



Applicable to domestic workers whose contracts are renewed or issued after January
2013, the move has been implemented by the Ministry of Manpower to provide domestic
helpers with a physical, emotional and mental respite from their daily work. Singaporeans
currently employ over 200,000 domestic helpers from countries like the Philippines, Sri
Lanka, Indonesia and India. Although some employers allow their maids one day off a
month, employers are not required to give their maids any days off at the present
moment.
Step forward in labour rights
Since its announcement last week, the new regulation has been a hot topic amongst
Singaporeans, domestic helpers and human rights groups alike. News outlets and forums
have been ablaze with articles and letters discussing the Ministrys bold new legislation.
Bridget Tan, founder and president of charity organisation, Humanitarian Organisation of
Migration Economics, welcomed the move in an official statement saying the new
legislation brings Singapore a step closer towards the full recognition of domestic
workers with the same kinds of rights as all other workers. HOME is best known for its
efforts in providing domestic helpers with legal advice and campaigning for their rights in
Singapore.
Basic right or luxury?
Employers, on the other hand, stand divided on whether a weekly day off is really
necessary for their domestic helpers.
Mrs Pillay, a mother of one, feels that the weekly day off may be more detrimental than
useful. I understand that maids are also human beings and they need a break just like
any employee, she begins. Unfortunately, in my experience, maids often abuse this
right and betray the trust of their employer by breaking the agreed contract terms. When
this happens, it causes a lot of stress and even financial burden for the employer while
the maids are able to walk away without bearing the consequences of their actions, she
says.
Mrs Hazmima, a mother of four, also shares the same sentiment. I agree with giving
maids off days, but to do so on a weekly basis is a challenge, she says. Frankly Ive
treated my maids as part of my family because they work hard and devote their time and
energy to care for my children when Im at work. However, not all maids are trustworthy
and these maids go out to socialise on the rest days, which can create problems and
distractions, she continues. As a mother to four kids, I would not want my maid to get
distracted while managing my children and my household.
Both Mrs Pillay and Mrs Hazmima have stated that they would be offering their domestic
helpers extra pay to work on their off days instead of encouraging them to take the day
off.
However, not all employers are against the concept of a weekly rest day for maids.
Domestic helpers should not differ from any other employee in any other profession and
they should be given the right to have a day off to spend their time as they wish, says
Mrs VanWinkle, a mother of one. To make things easier, the onus should be on maids
to bear the consequences of their actions if they step out of line, so that employers do
not have to restrict their activities or pay for their actions, she says.