All About Full-Time Maids

[MMM]

Mylittletrumpet:

Thanks for all the replies.


Yeah, I was wondering about the FDW account, whether it is compulsory to have a standing instructions. Me too doesn't like to have auto giro deduction for the salary. Will probably opt for the WP account then.

I have friends who keep their maid's ATM and bank book in the hope of detering them from running away. I would probably just keep the bank book so that I can update the balance everytime after I transfer the money to her account.

Frankly, this was the practise for my 2 older maids. For the new, we were told by agent that based on guideline, the maid no longer need to have joint account with employer. The recommendation is for employer to transfer the $ directly to their account.

[peapot]

Actually I have never keep money or transfer money to the maid. I pay them cash and they sign on my record. I don’t bother what they do with their money.

[DesertWind]

Me too don’t hold the maid’s passbook or atm card. Once paid, they sign, that’s it. So long as they can handle money. But for my PIL’s maid, it seems she is too innocent the type who might get bullied by other maids and kerna asked to borrow money. In this case, I have seriously asked my PIL to consider holding on to her passbook for her own good…

[MizzNAH]

I will let them sign on the agent piece of document for their salary. I do not bother how they spend their money.

[Mylittletrumpet]

I just realised that to open an account for WP holder, you need to have a POSB corporate current account and I don’t like the idea of compulsory auto transfer of salary from my account to her account if I open the FDW account for her. Looks like I am with no choice but to give cash afterall!


She doesn’t want off days so I am also helping to remit money to her home town using this online pay2home service and I will give her the balance of her salary and make her sign on the document. This is the first month she got her salary and hope this can work.

[autumnbronze]

We will show her the cash amount every month, get her to acknowledge and sign the salary sheet, then deposit the money for her. We give her the bank statement to keep.

[straffan23]

Re POSB account. I believe you are mistaken. There are two types of accounts which you can open. The FDW account requires standing instruction to credit the salary to them.


The WP account is the independent account. No minimum balance but if the daily average falls below $500, the bank will charge $2 per month. We opened this for our maid just this month.

[Power Puff]

Hi, need some advice here.


My family will be relocating overseas early next year. As my helper is not allowed to follow us and work there, we’ll be transferring her to my in-laws year. Can anyone advise me how to go about doing that?

Do we terminate the existing contract (contract completion is in Sept next year) just before we leave and come up with a new 2 year contract with my in-laws as her new employers. What do we do regarding her work permit and insurance? Are the new employers expected to give helper 4 weekends off every month? How much should she be reimbursed (she is currently getting $450 with 1 Sunday off per month). What if she wants only 1 or 2 Sundays off?). Should we also get my in laws to let her go on 2 weeks’ paid leave after Sept? (when she would have completed her contract, had she continued working under me)

Thanks.

[peapot]

Since you are relocating you need to re contract her for 2 years and transfer her out so that her work permit will show new employer name and address. You also need your in laws to buy insurance.


When it comes to salary and off days, you can ask your inlaws to negotiate with her until both parties are agreeable to the terms. You do not need to give her 4 offdays. It is only for maids who renew next year. Of course there will be maids who will want to take advantage of this opportunity to demand for 4 off days now. So it’s really up to how you negotiate with her. For salary the experienced maid are paid $500 but is she capable to earn it? My current ex Singapore maid ask for $500. I said let me see how good you are first. Now I pay her $450. To my surprise, she doesn’t even know how to make the bed. She puts red and white clothes in the washing machine and the white came out looking red! So how to pay $500 for her so call experience??!!!So you need to think about what salary you are comfortable to increase to.

[peapot]

Oops just saw that your renewal is for next year then you have no choice but to follow the 4 days ruling.