Would you work in this kind of condition?

[beachbum]

Thursday March 9, 10:17 PM
Employers to give maids a day off each month or cash compensation


SINGAPORE : Starting from June, employers who are hiring maids may be required to give them at least one day off a month, or compensate them with cash.

This is going to be in the employment contracts drawn up by maid agencies, despite the government rejecting calls to grant maids mandatory rest days.

While it may not be compulsory for employers to give maids a day off every month, the maids can be assured that they will be getting more money for their sacrifice.

The Association of Employment Agencies is finalising details of a standard employment contract which stipulates at least a day off a month or $20 more in their salaries.

The 500 over maid agencies in Singapore have to adopt these recommendations or risk getting their accreditations removed.

The association will also take agencies who flout the rules to task, by barring them from deploying maids.

"The contract will entitle the domestic helper to have at least one off day, up to four off days a month. In the event that the maid is required to work on the off day, she has to be compensated," said Angland Seah, president of the Association of Employment Agencies.

The association is also lobbying to raise the salaries of domestic helpers.

At present, with a day off a month, Filipino maids are paid an average of $350, while Indonesian maids get $250 to $300 and Sri Lankan maids get $250. The pay hike is expected to be between $20 and $40.

However, existing contracts will not be affected but employers are encouraged to adopt the standard guidelines.

And to help employers get their money's worth, it has opened a National Skill Training Centre for foreign domestic workers.

One aspect they are working on is safety for the maids.

The Singapore Indonesian Embassy says 124 Indonesian maids have fallen to their deaths since 1994.

This is an average of 10 death falls a year.

The two-day course is meant for both new and seasoned maids, covering basic domestic household trainings to sessions on areas such as childcare and eldercare.

- CNA /ls


one day off per month (which is not mandatory) meaning sometimes no off at all.

$350 per month salary in Singapore Dollar. (1sgd=31pesos, roughly 11k ) + $20 if off not taken.

add the placement fee and agents fee which is roughly equivalent to 3 months salary.

what's your opinion on this? because thousands are.

[stinkaboy]

Yan din ginagawa sa mga domestic helper sa HK ng mga employer nila.Usually sunday talga day off dun, so if kelangan ng amo ang helper on that day.She will be compensated.

[beachbum]

Yan din ginagawa sa mga domestic helper sa HK ng mga employer nila.Usually sunday talga day off dun, so if kelangan ng amo ang helper on that day.She will be compensated.

but one day off per month

then maybe two to four years before ka makauwi

[chris_d]

For some of our less fortunate countrymen & women. It is not the hardships they endure but the payoff, albeit small that matters.

If I was in a seemingly no-win situation, they maybe I could be a maid. But thankfully I am skilled and dont have to go that route...

[stinkaboy]

i meant yung kapag day off tas hindi makapag day off kasi kelangan ng employer. I dint mean yung one day off a month :D

[beachbum]

i meant yung kapag day off tas hindi makapag day off kasi kelangan ng employer. I dint mean yung one day off a month :D

pero hamak naman sigurong mas mataas ang salary sa HK. may idea po ba kayo?

ganun na bang kahirap kitain ang sampung libo sa pinas? in good faith po ang tanong ko, baka po kasi may iba pang option para kumita ng ganito. kasi ang daming sakripisyong kapalit eh.

[seonadancing]

I wouldn't really need any days off if i'm working for Zhang Ziyi, Jaymee Ong, Maggie Cheung or even Szu Chi. I'll be a slave to them.