All About Full-Time Maids

[Mummy Koala Bear]

Belle:

[Moderator's note: Threads merged.]


I am thinking of hiring a domestic helper, either from Myanmar or Burma.

Appreciate any comment or feedback from parents with maid from either one of these countries.

Understand that in terms of communication wise, filipino maid can understand better.

I think luck plays a big part in hiring of maid, whatever the country.

My first one was from Indonesia, worked in Taiwan & HK before. Can speak Mandarin relatively well, smattering of Cantonese and barely any English. Thot it was a good catch 'cos my parents can only speak Malay and Chinese, and very little English. She started off fine, but then began having a lot of phone calls from her family & bf, then started trying to borrow money from my parents (who came over to my place daily to help take care of my babies). Tried to persuade my dad to buy phone cards etc without paying him back. Always trying to eavesdrop on our conversations. Sent her back before her contract ends ('cos she said she didn't want to work for other employers).

Tried going without maid, but tough for my parents 'cos my twin gals are so young. So hired a maid from Myanmar a few months back. Speaks very little English, but able to follow instructions quite well. Timetable very helpful for fresh maids like them. She picks up new stuff pretty fast, but didn't do more than what she's told to do. Maybe she was afraid she'll do something wrong....

But when she first came, she ate a lot! Bf at 7am when she woke up, tea break at around 11am, then lunch at around 1pm, tea break again at about 5pm before dinner at abt 8pm (2 servings). She finished all my canned drinks and titbits in the fridge within 2 weeks (which I stocked up for some family gathering a couple of weeks back). She has put on about 10+ kg since she arrived less than 6 months ago. I was so worried with her appetite (and her tummy from all the eating, thinking that she was pregnant) that I called the agent to query if all Myanmese maids are like that. Agent assured me some are like that for a few months, then they'll cut back and it's back to normal appetite again (which it did recently). But now she like to snack on our chocolate, yakult, etc...

But we're okie with her appetite as long as she does your work well and do not play punk with my kids & parents. But we still have problems communicating with her. Must go step by step, plus some gestures, to let her get the picture.

Lucky so far? No complaints, I guess, especially if you close one eye and your agent is okie. But agent did share that some girls who came together in the same batch as my maid simply cannot make it, even though they pass the MOM test.

[winth]

Hi Belle,


Your situation is almost similar to mine just that I’m pure lucky my toddler turns 18 months right after I hired the maid. Actually I sent toddler to full day and relieved my mother by letting her take care of my 5 year old, while my 5 year old attends 3-hour school. I’m used to taking care of them, so taking care of them during weekends was a breeze to me. Since your girl enjoyed Nursery, then should stick to it.

I think you better get the maid in first, since you are now already 2 months from delivery. It’s better to train her to take care of your K1 girl & the housework before your new born arrives. The priority for the maid should not be to take care of infant. It should be to do all the things your mum used to do, while she takes over infant.

Try not to let the maid take care of the newborn so early. They are still too fragile, you still need your mum to help you to take care of infant. You might have heard about the (singapore case) infant died after maid ‘accidentally’ banged the infant’s head against the toilet when she was bathing infant? Infant died within hours. If I remember correctly, the infant was barely 3-4 months old.

My toddler didn’t know how to speak, but I realised he kept making the pinching action (on his tighs) & hitting his own head (very very hard), like trying to tell us something. My toddler hated the maid, he bites her and hits her when she was not looking. And I believe it more than meets the eye though I asked if she hit my children and she denied (in tears usually).

If you ask me, myanmese maids seem worth the shot. But you need to be very vigilant, ‘on the ball’ type and strict with her during her first few months. Need to do your checks so that she will know you’re not someone she can fool with.

I did the wrong thing by being ‘too friendly’ too her. And anyway she told me lies that she came here to work bec she needs money. She came here to work bec her 8-year old boyfriend just dumped her and she needs to come here to get over him. So, try to interview her before any hire. So that you can catch her if she is telling lies when she’s under your employment. If anything wrong, quickly send back to agency for replacement liao. And go for agency started by local Singaporeans, don’t go for agencies started by fellow Filipino/other nationalities. They will not be on your side when things turn ugly.

[JHJC]

Dear all,

enough said abt maids.... i just sent mine back. Too tired to tell the long story, it just does not work out.

Anyway, i would like to warn you abt the maid agency.
I have no complaints that i need to pay for the maid food and lodging, $210, which was stated in the contract.
However, this agency is really pushing their luck. They SAID, ITS CNY AND I NEED TO PAY ADDITIONAL $90 to keep her at the agency? :?

I told them on the spot, charge me and i will take you to CASE!.
Its not stated in the contract.

Just when i was on the above conversation, another man stormed in and was shouting at them for not training their maid too. His experienced is worst!

So i guess their standard is very consistent...... poor.. or VERY POOR
They are at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, the agency name is similar to a famous resturant... LXX GARDEN...( if anyone of you are hiring and wanted to aviod this agency, better PM me first.

[heutistmeintag]

I am just wondering if it’s time we start a sticky on blacklisting maid agencies. We put a summary of complaint counts and complainants in the first post. For example;


XXX agency - 5
aa, bb, cc, dd, ee

For an agency with alot of counts, I think we can quite safely conclude its bad reputation.

[JHJC]

heutistmeintag,

i totally agree with you. This will help us to avoid steping into mine field, which i did!

There is now a part 2 to my previous posting...2 days after i sent the helper back to the agency, the agent called me and said. I have to charge you $10 everyday now for a long term, as your maid has made police report on abuse and you have to pay $10 till the investigation is over :shock:
I was in shock...i asked him , \"You did check she was in one piece when i sent her back right?how come such a thing can happened? is it bcos i do not want to pay you extra $90 for CNY?\" He said its between you,the employer and the maid now, he do not know ?:shock: :shock: :shock:

Before i contact the police, i called MOM to see if they have record of these agency that does churning? like in stocks, in this case, they keep churningng maids. Unfortunately they do not. But i think its doable. They could for example just need to analyse how an agency keep changing employer for the same foreign worker? (anyway, i will call MOM on this again)

So now i basically hv 2 to dos
1) to blacklist the maid- HOW?? :?: (someone can advise here?)
2)take the agency to task

For 2, i was told i do not go to CASE but to AEAS.
Association of Employment Agencies.
aeas.org@gmail.com, Tel 68362618
MUST WRITE IN regards the CNY charges.

Anyway, While i was thinking how come i so unlucky, i was told that i was not alone! This agency has a history of generating maid with such story!
in this month, i am the number 2...
(It Has to be CNY!!!)

This is totally unethical, and unacceptable. How come they can just get away. This agency is also wasting the govt time and money as the police is the one paying the medical examination for no reasons?

I was told the police could not charge the helper even if she is lying?
WHy? Isn't false allegation a form of crime?
Can can they just get away after making me pay for no reasons???

SIGH.....this is really wasting a lot of my previous time. :x
So please, DO NOT STEP IN A MINE FIELD.. which i did.

[JHJC]

Hi all,

i thought i update on my previous posting. As expected, the police has come back and concluded there is no case of abuse! So i thought i could go and get my remainding bond from the agency. Guess wht... i have yet another surprise!
This agency has many many tricks... the agent called me 2 days after he got the report and said the maid would like to go embassy to appeal and if she does that, i will lose my bond and still pay $10everyday for her stay at the embassy till the appeal is over. And i would need to pay for her air ticket back if all are resolve.

I told the police and he was shock too, he said there is no case.
The agency also \"suggest\" other alternatively is to buy a ticket at my expense and send the maid back and forfeit my bond of almost 2K. They are trying all ways to keep the rest of my money.

I feel like giving them a knife and say, please rob me... :stupid: :stupid:
Remember , do not go to Lxx Garden at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre.
Please go tell whoever you know.. in such economy, can you imagine i have to throw $10 everyday for no reason, i think i am better off donating to charity.

[mintcc]

oh no, have you check with MOM what you can do in such cases?


Thanks for alerting us on the agency. Just planning to go Bukit Timah Shopping Centre to source for a new maid tomorrow. Will definitely avoid that one.

[JHJC]

You see the loopholes? The agent saw it… and they directed the show

- for abuse, Police investigate to close off specific case only, so its btw you and maid. Police is aware of their action but could not act on it.Police suggest i terminate the work permit and seek help at MOM.
BUT if i terminate, i would not get a single cents back from agent.

- for embassy, its btw embassy, maid and you. Lxx Garden just want to waste my time, The police will just give the agency the same report.
MOM suggest i go AEAS.

I wonder how long AEAS would act (i will keep all of you updated). It is starting to get ridiculous. I think the relevant authority should start some
regulation to protect us the employers. I saw on paper something ago someone asking the same question. Not too sure the response.

Eg, my fren, the maid left her baby unattended and run to embassy, her story is worse, said the hubby molest her. Lucky for them they hv cctv to prove innocent
My case, i have video evidance too. Imagine wht happened if some of us do not install all these to protect us?
They can sing and dance all the way to the bank.

For that record i have to manage 3 children and all these unnecessary stress .
Its getting a bit riduculous, maybe shld i write to the press and go see MP and highlight this :x :x :x

[JHJC]

To Blue Sky,

you should write to the authority too, same agency, same story, same time, same issues,… only different employer and different maid.
Do not suffer in silence, we have to shout for help. I am sure the KS parents here will support us!

Oh, did i mention, this agency has another company in the east… but i have not got to the name yet. Maybe someone can help.

[tamarind]

JHJC,

Check out this mommy's experience in my blog about maid agencies.

http://singaporemaidagencyreviews.blogspot.com/2008/02/best-helper.html

She went to small claims tribunal. I heard it is no use going to AEAS, they protect the maid agencies.

It is true that employers of FDWs in Singapore are always in the losing end. If you read my blog, you will see more sad stories from other employers.

The only thing we can do is to learn to protect ourselves.