Hiring a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) in Singapore comes with specific legal responsibilities.
To ensure you're on the right side of the law, here are 10 important Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulations every employer should be aware of.
1) Employers Are Liable for Medical Needs of Their Maid
As an employer, you are required to cover all medical expenses for your MDW.
This includes clinic checkups, as well as hospitalizations.
So please remember to get a decent coverage for the maid insurance.
We have heard of cases where employers are suddenly burdened with $10k-$20k hospitalisation bills (and it started with the maid having a stomach pain).
Depending on your budget, the cheapest insurance plan is not neccessarily the BEST plan.
Check out the coverage, and decide if you want to topup a bit more for the next tier plan, for a much better peace of mind.
2) Employers Cannot Confiscate Passports.
It's illegal to withhold your MDW's passport, regardless of your reason.
In the eyes of the passport act (law), keeping any passport that does not belong to you is an offence.
Same goes for the work permit - she should have it with her in case police want to check.
3) Employers also Cannot Confiscate the Helper's Phones.
The short reason... the phone doesn't belong to you.
The phone is also the maid's source of connection to her family and friends.
Set expectations with her - if she uses phone excessively, you can still ask her to turn off the phone during working hours.
4) Your Security Bond Can Get Forfeited
Some employers feel that the security bond is machiam just a deposit... but it can be forfeited.
Here are 4 cases when they can be forfeited.
- Helper violate conditions of work permit
- You didn't pay your helper on time.
- Work permit expired and she's still in Singapore.
- Your helper goes missing.
4) Your Maid Cannot Work Anywhere Else.
MDW work permits are tied to ONE employer and address.
If your MDW is tied to your house, please do NOT ask her to spring clean your mum's house. ($10,000 fine, don't play play)
Make sure she don't work elsewhere on her off days.
Remind her it's illegal and she can get banned from working in Singapore.
5) Provide her with sufficient food.
Make sure your MDW get access to food.
If her work confines her mostly to the house, buy bread, biscuit, Milo... anything that she can easily reach out to eat.
Be sure she doesn't lose weight drastically... keep her healthy, and yourself safe from any complaints.
6) Pregnant send her back
MDWs are not to get pregnant while in Singapore, and can be barred from working here again.
If you suspect that she might be pregnant, please insist that she go for a test.
Repatriation is mandatory if that's the case.
7) You Cannot Deduct Maid's Salary
It's common to hear about MDW who break the employer's mop while mopping the floor...
Or accidentally burning the expensive shirt while ironing etc.
The employer may not be happy... but the law says that the maid cannot be penalised financially.
My maid also burn a few of my shirts... but hey, she gets better and now she's with me for 7 years liao.
8) Maids must have at least ONE day off a month.
Yes, your maid may be hardworking and want to earn more money.
But it's mandatory for helpers to have at least ONE off day a month.
Let them get some sanity... you don't want to be "working" 29 days every month too.
If she say she don't want to go out, she can still stay at home to rest (and surf Facebook) on her off day.
9) Provide Safety Working Conditions
This one is obvious, but worth reminding.
Everyone loves a clean home... but her safety is more important.
Wiping "outside" windows without window grills... climbing ladders... remember that your maid is someone else's daughter.
Keep her safe.
10) Need Your MDW to Take Care of Your Kids at Relative's House?
Please notify MOM first - fill up this form.
And be sure she doesn't have double the housechores at both households.
If you enjoyed this article, or have any feedback, please let me know at info@searchmaid.com.sg
All the best for your maid hire!