Your Maid Can Sack U, But U Cannot Sack Your Maid!
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:02 am
Weekly day off policy for maids must be flexible, say stakeholders
05:53 PM Oct 29, 2011
SINGAPORE - Advocacy groups have welcomed the Manpower Ministry's move to study a mandatory weekly day off for maids. But along with employers and maid agencies, they said the policy needs to build in a large degree of flexibility.
Responding to Channel NewsAsia, the ministry said consultation with stakeholders has been on since late last year, and results will be announced in due course. A ministry spokesperson said discussions have included employers, maids, maid agencies and non-governmental organisations.
For the policy to work, one proposal is for the law to protect maids against dismissal and repatriation, when they report an errant employer.
Mr Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migrant Economics, said: "One of the challenges of facilitating the process of lodging complaints, is that many migrant workers are often afraid of losing their jobs, and that is what keeps them from going to the Ministry of Manpower to complain and to lodge their claims."
Mr Wham added: "The migrant domestic worker should have the right and the opportunity to change her mind, and say that, 'For this particular weekend, I have stuff to do, I would like to have a day off. But maybe next weekend, I consent to working for you on a Sunday.'"
A ministry spokesman told Channel NewsAsia there are "comprehensive" measures to protect a maid under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. He added that "as a safeguard against employers who attempt to repatriate their foreign domestic workers unfairly, those who are forcefully brought to the airport can seek assistance from Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers, who will redirect them to the ministry to pursue their claims."
Mr John Gee, President of Transient Workers Count Too, said the right of the employer to unilaterally send a maid back to her home country should be done away. Instead, he should be required to explain his decision to the Manpower Ministry, and the maid should also be allowed to explain her story. Mr Gee told Channel NewsAsia he had raised the issue to the ministry in the past, but was told it was a "problem of staffing".
Maid agencies said the improvement in working conditions could help ease the supply crunch, but working out compensation that is fair to the maid and acceptable to employers, will be tricky.
The standard contract between an employer and a maid currently recommends at least one day off a month, with compensation in-lieu. The going rate is about S$20 for each day off, and some maid agencies have said that if the new law kicks in requiring at least four days off a month, the resulting increase in expense might turn some employers away.
That is because employers often give the minimal one day off each month.
Mr Riza Malawad, operations manager with 9Y2 Employment Services, said: "It's a little bit too high, to employ a domestic helper and compensate four days off. S$20 times four is S$80, and the current salary is S$400. S$480 can be a little hefty for some families."
Mr Peter Loh, Managing Director of Swift Arrow, said so long as employers have the option to pay more instead of granting a day off, "nothing will change, except that the salary will go up." Mr Gee, however, feels that "Singaporeans might grumble, but if it's the law, people will comply".
And then there is the issue of what maids do on their days off, a concern often cited by employers as a reason for not allowing them out.
The Church of the Holy Family is one of many organisations that holds classes for maids. Participants pick up a skill, while easing their homesick pangs. To reassure employers, organisers are strict on attendance.
Programme Coordinator Vikki de Jesus, who has been working in Singapore as a maid for 26 years, said she often gets calls from employers checking up on their maids.
She said: "Some domestic helpers say they can't come, but I ask them to get a letter from the employer, to make sure that the employer asked them not to go. Because I want also to make sure that we are not playing around here... We want the communication between the employer and the helper, that they are really here, in our place, in our skills programme."
In Parliament on Oct 20, in a written reply to Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher de Souza, the Manpower Minister acknowledged the need for maids to have a time-out, but said the matter "requires careful consideration". CHANNEL NEWSASIA
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/ED ... akeholders
I think MOM is getting crazy. Since when was employers consulted ?
05:53 PM Oct 29, 2011
SINGAPORE - Advocacy groups have welcomed the Manpower Ministry's move to study a mandatory weekly day off for maids. But along with employers and maid agencies, they said the policy needs to build in a large degree of flexibility.
Responding to Channel NewsAsia, the ministry said consultation with stakeholders has been on since late last year, and results will be announced in due course. A ministry spokesperson said discussions have included employers, maids, maid agencies and non-governmental organisations.
For the policy to work, one proposal is for the law to protect maids against dismissal and repatriation, when they report an errant employer.
Mr Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migrant Economics, said: "One of the challenges of facilitating the process of lodging complaints, is that many migrant workers are often afraid of losing their jobs, and that is what keeps them from going to the Ministry of Manpower to complain and to lodge their claims."
Mr Wham added: "The migrant domestic worker should have the right and the opportunity to change her mind, and say that, 'For this particular weekend, I have stuff to do, I would like to have a day off. But maybe next weekend, I consent to working for you on a Sunday.'"
A ministry spokesman told Channel NewsAsia there are "comprehensive" measures to protect a maid under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. He added that "as a safeguard against employers who attempt to repatriate their foreign domestic workers unfairly, those who are forcefully brought to the airport can seek assistance from Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers, who will redirect them to the ministry to pursue their claims."
Mr John Gee, President of Transient Workers Count Too, said the right of the employer to unilaterally send a maid back to her home country should be done away. Instead, he should be required to explain his decision to the Manpower Ministry, and the maid should also be allowed to explain her story. Mr Gee told Channel NewsAsia he had raised the issue to the ministry in the past, but was told it was a "problem of staffing".
Maid agencies said the improvement in working conditions could help ease the supply crunch, but working out compensation that is fair to the maid and acceptable to employers, will be tricky.
The standard contract between an employer and a maid currently recommends at least one day off a month, with compensation in-lieu. The going rate is about S$20 for each day off, and some maid agencies have said that if the new law kicks in requiring at least four days off a month, the resulting increase in expense might turn some employers away.
That is because employers often give the minimal one day off each month.
Mr Riza Malawad, operations manager with 9Y2 Employment Services, said: "It's a little bit too high, to employ a domestic helper and compensate four days off. S$20 times four is S$80, and the current salary is S$400. S$480 can be a little hefty for some families."
Mr Peter Loh, Managing Director of Swift Arrow, said so long as employers have the option to pay more instead of granting a day off, "nothing will change, except that the salary will go up." Mr Gee, however, feels that "Singaporeans might grumble, but if it's the law, people will comply".
And then there is the issue of what maids do on their days off, a concern often cited by employers as a reason for not allowing them out.
The Church of the Holy Family is one of many organisations that holds classes for maids. Participants pick up a skill, while easing their homesick pangs. To reassure employers, organisers are strict on attendance.
Programme Coordinator Vikki de Jesus, who has been working in Singapore as a maid for 26 years, said she often gets calls from employers checking up on their maids.
She said: "Some domestic helpers say they can't come, but I ask them to get a letter from the employer, to make sure that the employer asked them not to go. Because I want also to make sure that we are not playing around here... We want the communication between the employer and the helper, that they are really here, in our place, in our skills programme."
In Parliament on Oct 20, in a written reply to Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher de Souza, the Manpower Minister acknowledged the need for maids to have a time-out, but said the matter "requires careful consideration". CHANNEL NEWSASIA
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/ED ... akeholders
I think MOM is getting crazy. Since when was employers consulted ?