Disagreements between employers and workers are common in any industry, and domestic work is no exception. Given the challenges that come with hiring a foreign domestic worker, disputes can be difficult to handle, particularly since they can also involve employment agencies. While domestic work is not regulated under Singapore’s Employment Act, there are legal avenues that one can follow if a dispute cannot be resolved at home. Full-time domestic helpers come from ...
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From 1 January 2019, employers of foreign domestic workers (FDW) in Singapore are no longer allowed to safe keep any money belonging to their maid including the salary in order to protect both parties from money-related disputes. Therefore, opening a bank account for your maid will be one of the best ways for both you and the maid to manage her money. Benefits of maids having a bank account Avoiding salary-related disputes Employers ...
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Hiring a foreign domestic worker is usually what families do when they need someone to help with caregiving and domestic work. As of today, there are around 250,000 maids working in Singapore. Only about one-third of them finish two years of their contract. In view of this, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) feels the need to support employers in their hiring of maids, since early termination of contracts is expensive ...
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Hiring a foreign domestic worker (FDW) is often thought to be the only solution to get extra hands to help around in the household. While FDWs play an extremely valuable role in many Singaporean and expat households – particularly by making it possible for breadwinners to strike a balance between their career and their personal life – they are hardly the only option. Hiring a FDW should not be taken lightly. ...
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Despite progress, including greater awareness of the rights of domestic helpers, maids are sometimes poorly treated in Singapore and other parts of Asia. Since this worker group remains vulnerable to exploitation, the government of Singapore says it imposes severe penalties on those who abuse foreign maids. Employers should be aware of helpers’ rights, and discuss these during on-the-job orientation and training, and ensure that expected duties remain legal and ethical. Unfortunately, ...
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By PathFinders The recent Mid-Autumn Festival was a special time of getting together with family and close friends. As we enjoyed the reunion, there were as many as 370,000 Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) in HK who had not been able to be home to see their families for almost 2 years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A number of these MDW are mothers who left their children back in their home ...
Read MoreBy PathFinders Love scams are on the rise in Hong Kong (HK). The most recent police figures show a 92% increase - 822 cases in the first six months of 2021, up from 429 in the same period last year. While no one is immune to online/love scams, Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) are particularly vulnerable. The nature of their employment - long working hours and living-in with their employers - make them ...
Read MoreReduce Homesickness Abroad Moving abroad whether for work, studies, or simply traveling is not that easy. The culture, the people around you, the reason why you are there, the feeling of being alone would really trigger being homesick. This is really hard for those who are working abroad and signed up with a long-term contract. This means that they cannot just go home anytime they want. Homesickness is emotional distress that results from ...
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Due to the discovery of an untraceable mutant strain of N501Y and E484K in the community. Starting from 30 April 2021, all foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong have received a compulsory coronavirus test before May 9 as an order of government. The new regulations about the agreement of covid-19 vaccination will be added to the Standard Employment Contract. The Labour Department will give a detailed account after confirming ...
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by Enrich HK Did you know that in the Philippines, Christmas season begins in September? Houses are lovingly decorated, trees are put up, and parol (Christmas stars) are secured in place. It’s definitely a special time of year for the family. But Christmas will be very different this year. Most domestic workers reading this will be unable to travel home during this pandemic due to lockdowns, travel restrictions or greater expenses. It’s ...
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