Latest news with #helpers
Independent Singapore
23-07-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Maid says, 'My employer wants me to wake up early and work on time, but she never lets me sleep on time'
And just like that, many other helpers who read her post had an instant case of been-there-done-that. 'They're expecting me to be honest about money, while they don't even want to pay me [the] 15 days home paid holiday (which is S$300 we both agreed to pay in the contract),' the helper continued. 'She only paid me S$100.' It was less of a rant and more of a reflection on the lopsided power dynamics between domestic helpers and their employers — especially when it comes to sleep and salary. 'We helpers come from a very poor family. But here the employers who [are] 10 times richer than us always try to take advantage of it… This ain't fair at all,' she lamented. 'The fact that 8 billion humans in the world, but only a few people show humanity is crazy 😢' And the comments came pouring in like spilled kopi on a Monday morning. One helper echoed, 'True, employers want helpers to work on time, but for us helpers, we wake up early, but our rest time is not on time… They don't care.' Another chimed in: 'Same here.' And their grievances didn't end just there. The number of maids replying 'Same here,' and 'it's true' is rather concerning, as if they were all replying from a collective sleep-deprived consciousness. But perhaps the most eye-opening account came from a helper whose boss ended her contract early — just because her helper declined to renew it. 'When I told Madam I don't want to renew my contract, she said, 'Ok lah, then I end your contract early.' So on July 15, 2025, she ended it — when it was supposed to end on October 31, 2025.' Talk about notice period… wait, what notice period? 'So unfair, but I have no regret also. Even [though] she did it, I'm much thankful coz finally I can leave her, which I wish I had done a long time ago, but I just endured and put up with her bad behavior,' the helper expressed her relief. Some replies, however, were less empathetic and more stoic, bordering on tough love. 'So don't renew your contract and find new employer lah,' one group member offered pragmatically. Another didn't mince words: 'Suck it up. Not happy, just leave and find new employer.' But while some helpers shared horror stories, others dropped comments like golden tickets — stories of employers who actually honoured their helpers' holidays with full salary plus bonus pocket money. 'Me, 2 weeks holiday, my employer [gave] full salary with S$600 pocket money.' Another flexed: 'My employer, even [though] my holiday is 3 weeks, they gave me one month full salary.' Not all employers are villains, it seems — some are the fairy godmothers of the maid world. Meanwhile, one employer who saw the drama in the comments used the opportunity for recruitment. 'I am looking for a transfer helper. Pls pm me if you are available,' she commented — casually turning the post into a job ad. Now that's recruitment efficiency. Humanity starts with bedtime If this Facebook thread proves anything, it's that sleep isn't just a luxury for foreign domestic workers — it's a basic human need. And paying someone less than agreed while expecting robotic punctuality isn't just bad employer behaviour. It's poor leadership, plain and simple. For now, the original poster's reflections continue to ripple across the group, as helpers exchange stories, support, and a healthy mix of reality checks and resilience. One can only hope that humanity — and fair wages — eventually catch up. 'Singapore is known for its world-class standards, but beneath the surface of this clean, modern society lies a silent injustice — the daily mistreatment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who leave their families behind, only to be treated without basic dignity,' wrote Eryana Eryan. Her post in the Facebook group Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper recently offered a searing commentary that cracked open this often-muted reality — a post that's now resonating with many who know the system needs fixing. Her voice, equal parts heartfelt and heartbreaking, sheds light on the day-to-day indignities suffered by helpers at the hands of employers who blur the line between firm supervision and outright cruelty. You can read her full post and plight on behalf of all maids in Singapore over here: Domestic helpers in Singapore: We left our own children behind to raise yours, but you treat us like second-class citizens, without even basic dignity
Independent Singapore
08-07-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Helper's employer says, ‘Maids should not complain if they are required to take care of a family's newborn at night, even after doing their chores during the day'
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employer lit up a domestic helper Facebook group with a bold declaration to basically say: 'Maids should not complain if they are required to take care of a family's newborn at night, even after doing their chores during the day.' The post, made in the popular group Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper , was intended to call out what the employer saw as hypocrisy among helpers. Her grievance? Helpers who apply for baby care jobs often protest when asked to work night duty and can even go on to say that mothers who hire helpers to care for their newborns 'shouldn't have kids.' Photo: FB/Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic helper The employer wrote: 'If you don't like the job, don't have a heart for babies, don't take it and don't talk so much,' she wrote. 'You think any mother wants to leave her child to strangers? And these people wonder why their employers say they are rude.' A few other employers jumped in, nodding in weary agreement. A second one shared her own experience: 'Yes, same problem with my helper now. Interviewed her and told her that we will have a newborn plus a toddler. She said, 'Yes, yes, able to manage.' (And then), just yesterday, she requested to be sent back home.' The employer continued, expressing frustration that her helper refused feedback and couldn't understand the financial strain employers faced. 'They think all Singaporeans are rich and can afford the agency? Some employers are barely earning enough, but they really need to hire a helper… FYI, before all those helpers comment, we are the ones taking care of the kids at night. We make sure she has enough rest, but the helper doesn't see all that.' Another employer admitted she had to extend her confinement nanny's contract just to train her helper properly: 'My helper didn't dare to bathe my newborn… she's also a mother, but her own family took care of her baby during her confinement. She said yes during the interview, but in reality, she was not confident.' 'Helpers are not robots' — The maids speak up While some employers rallied behind the original post, it didn't take long for helpers to clap back. One maid shot back with raw honesty: 'You expect your helper to take care of your kids day and night, which you yourself can't even do? Helpers are not robots. Be in helpers' shoes and be fair, please.' Another maid made a sharp comparison: 'My past expat employers never let me do night duties. They also work full-time but take over childcare after work. Why can't some local employers do that?' The debate spilled over with tales of exhaustion and impossible expectations. 'Imagine getting up at 4:30 a.m. to feed toddlers after sleeping at 2:30 a.m., because you've been minding the kids till midnight,' one helper lamented. 'Then wash dishes, handwash laundry, and clean all the shoes. Every day. Can I sleep during the day? Will you be okay with that?' One helper even shared a rare story of a balanced arrangement: 'My previous employer was a divorcee with two kids. I worked night shifts, but she allowed me to rest during the day and plan my own schedule. That's fair.' Ministry of Manpower: What does the law say? So, can you actually ask your helper to be on call 24/7 without a break? According to Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM), foreign domestic workers (FDWs) are entitled to adequate rest, and as an employer, you are responsible for the health and well-being of your FDW. It is recommended to discuss duties clearly before hiring and to be specific about expectations, particularly regarding infant care, household chores, and working hours. Crucially, night duties must be compensated with daytime rest, and helpers cannot be expected to function without sleep. So where's the middle ground? The online spat may seem like just another Facebook flame war, but it reveals deeper fault lines between expectations and reality — and between exhaustion and empathy. There are, undeniably, helpers who overpromise during interviews, often out of desperation for a job due to a lack of clarity or cultural pressure, but many also find themselves in environments where they are overworked, under-rested, and afraid to speak up. On the flip side, many employers are genuinely overwhelmed. With both parents working full-time and no extended family to lean on, they turn to helpers as lifelines — and expect a kind of superhuman endurance that even they can't match. However, as one helper wisely said: 'Everything should be give and take… It's okay to take care of the kids at night, but are you okay if the house is a little messy and not really clean? And if your helper naps during the day? If yes, then good. If not, maybe rethink your expectations.' Tired mums and tired maids are one shared struggle The truth is that both employers and helpers are tired. Both want what's best for the baby. Both are navigating motherhood — one as a parent, the other as support staff, and sometimes as fellow mum. However, helpers are not substitutes for parental bonding, and employers are not heartless overlords — most just want the house to stay upright while they hustle to provide for their family. The solution? Communication, transparency, and — as radical as it sounds — compassion. Maybe it's time to stop thinking in terms of 'boss vs. maid' and start thinking in terms of teammates. After all, the baby isn't going to sleep any faster if both of you are fighting over who's more tired. In other news, also quite recently, a concerned mother detailed her mounting frustration: 'My helper keeps asking me for a loan every few days… sometimes S$20–S$30, sometimes more than S$100. If I refuse, she gets angry and says that I am supposed to help her, not the other way around.' If that wasn't stressful enough, the employer revealed she had already lent the helper a hefty S$2,000, which had only just been repaid. Now, less than a week after receiving her July salary, the helper is once again asking for more. 'I don't want to keep giving money as it's a bad habit,' the employer wrote. 'But I don't want her to hurt my child either.' Read the rest of the story here: 'My helper keeps asking me for S$20-S$30, sometimes over S$100 loan every few days, and she even gets angry if I refuse'
CBC
30-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Care packages airlifted to Little Bear Lake for people battling fires
Marlene Barzeele and her band of helpers have airlifted donated food into Little Bear Lake to feed the people protecting 150 homes and cabins from wildfire.
