Runaway maids are every employer’s nightmare.
And if you have kids or elderly parents at home, the panic hits immediately.
What are you even supposed to do??
So I sat down with Feng Ni, the boss of Redline Employment to get her advice on this issue.
Make sure she’s really missing
Feng Ni said the first thing is stay calm and don’t panic.
Check if your helper took all her stuff.
Try calling her, leave a message.
See if she left a farewell note somewhere.
Could they be out running errands? Is she on her off day? Could it be that her handphone is out of battery?
If you have CCTV, check that.
Some of the helpers within the same condo or neighbourhood, might be close with your helper. Ask them if they saw anything.
Trust your gut instinct, if it has been 4-5 hours and there’s zero communication from your helper, you would probably need to start taking action.
File a police report (you have 24 hours)
This part is really important.
Singapore law says you HAVE to report it to the police within 24 hours if your FDW goes missing.
You’re her employer, so you’re legally responsible.
When you make the report, remember to keep a copy of it because you’ll need it for MOM later.
Also keep her passport if she left it behind (which most of them do).
Tell MOM right away
After the police, you need to notify MOM (Ministry of Manpower).
The MOM helpline number is 1800 339 5505.
If you got your helper through an agency, call them and they should help you with this part.
You’ll need to cancel her work permit and fill out some declaration form.
Don’t delay on this because if she overstays or does something illegal while missing, YOU can get in trouble too.
And If you think they run to the Humanitarian Organisation for Migrant Economics (HOME), you can contact them at 1800 7977 977.
Your agency should be helping you here
An indication of how responsible your maid agency is…
is always about how much support they give you during such cases, not during the stage of closing the deal.
Good agencies do NOT ghost you, or gaslight you insinuating that it must be your fault.
At Redline Employment, they strive to respond fast and be upfront about what the practical options are. No one wants to deal with over-promises when they’re already stressed.
Objectively, agencies should walk you through the replacement options, and check if you can get any money back or reduced fees, as per contract.
Redline also does 2 good moves for you:
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File an alert so your helper can’t just go work for another family illegally.
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Consider temporary help while you’re figuring out a permanent replacement (case by case basis).
I thought the latter sounds pretty helpful if you’ve got young kids at home.
Getting a replacement (take your time with this)
Yeah, going through the whole hiring thing again sucks.
But it’s important to do a little reflection on what went wrong the first time.
Like, did you assess the personality of your helper? Does she really like your job scope? Or just desperate to get a job?
Or have you micro-managed her too much, or gave her too much freedom?
Don’t just grab whoever’s skillsets match. Look at her personality, because you are not just hiring a helper, you are hiring someone who is going to be part of your family.
Consult an agency who is honest, ethical and have actual data-matching system in place:
Feng Ni proudly says her consultants will match employers based on who actually fits your family, not just whoever the agency is trying to place quickly. If they feel that the helper is not a right fit? They would tell you upfront, which is what their clients value as well.
And they stay in touch after hiring too, which apparently isn’t always usual after agencies receive their final payments.
Can you even prevent this from happening?
Feng Ni’s honest answer?
Nah. It might not be you. Your helper could run away because of her own personal situation back home.
Want to know how to do your part as an employer to minimise such incidents from happening away?
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Treat them like how you would like to be treated
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Pay their salary punctually
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Choose your battles. You can remain firm in some aspects e.g 100% commitment in their caregiving responsibilities, but give them the flexibility in some situations e.g. food options, reasonable handphone usage etc.
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Give them praises and compliments when they have done well.
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Agree mutually on their rest day(s). They do need a break at least one day a month.
Most importantly, pick someone who’s actually ready and fit for the job mentally, not just skills-wise.
As a working mum herself with young kids, screening candidates thoroughly is part of their SOP (standard operating process) at Redline. They would only bring in helpers, whom they would want as helpers themselves.
If you need help with this
If your helper ran away or you just want to hire someone reliable without all the drama, you can check out Redline Employment’s available helpers here.
Alternatively, you can contact them at
Whatsapp: +65 87755655
Email: hello@redline.sg
