How to Handle a Dispute with your Maid in Singapore?

 Disagreements can happen between an employee and a company at any point in time. The same is with your domestic helper. You might be having a difference of opinion with your maid. Given the fact that it is quite challenging for domestic workers also to leave their family behind, work for you, and might have working differences at a place.

The reason for a dispute with your maid could be for any reason like regarding the household chores, fewer hours of rest, too many holidays, payout, or anything. 

What really matters is how to solve your difference with your domestic help on whom you rely on for meeting domestic work.

Best Ways to Deal with Maid

1. Maintain a Seamless Communication: In case of a conflict with your maid, do not just rush to complain about your domestic helper in Singapore an agency. First, maintain a free flow of communication between you and the maid. It is because, you have developed a level of understanding with the maid, signed the agreement, and then hired her. Better is to straightaway communicate with the maid, understand her issues, discuss your obligations, and try to solve them internally, rather than involving the agency and later the Singapore government.

2. Get Assistance of Domestic Helper Agency: Only when you have no resort left when the problem with your maid has reached a limit, then contact the helping agency. The domestic help agency will listen to both the parties i.e. you and the maid to carry out a mutual solution either to continue the services or discontinue the agreement. 

Conclusion

Conflicts at the workplace are common these days. Having a disagreement with a maid can be a serious issue. Follow different ways to resolve the problem rather than stretching it further and face the dire consequences. Just sort it through and develop a mutual working relationship for a long.

Important Questions to Ask While Hiring Domestic Helper in Singapore

 Domestic helpers are hard working professionals no matter working in an ultra-modernised city like Singapore. They want to be treated equally like that of any other professional skilled person.

So, next time, you are on the hunt to hire the best maid in Singapore, then do ask the following few questions to have a better idea.

4 Important Questions to Ask from Domestic Helper in Singapore

1. What Do You Exactly Want?

May be you want a particular helping partner and start interviewing them. But have you asked a helper what does he/she want? It is the preference of the maid also to get hired by an employer having a comfortable household and lenient employing policies.

2. Is Your Family in Singapore?

It is a very critical point for helping partners. Maids generally work in your household area but they too have a family and feel the homesickness. So, always ask your maid whether they have anyone in family living closely in Singapore or not. If yes, then let them meet their family members during the week off.

3. What are Your Working Hours?

Remember the fact that domestic helper agency in Singapore provide you maid for household chores but not for 24x7 assistance. So, you have to ask the maid about the working hours, break hour during the day, and weekly off. It is necessary to give personal space even to your domestic helper, so that they also feel comfortable working for you.

4. Are You Able to Take Care of Children?

Another important consideration to make is asking the maid, if they can take care of children also even the minor ones? It might be the case that you will go outside for work and leave your children home. So, you need someone experienced enough to take care of the little ones in a hassle-free manner.

Conclusion

Maids in Singapore can be availed easily from a domestic helping agency. But, it is your duty to make the working surroundings comfortable for them.

Avoid These 4 Mistakes While Hiring a Maid in Singapore

 Life is busy in Singapore. A majority of people are occupied balancing their professional and personal life. Some do not get time to take care of the household cleaning, cooking, maintenance, or even handling kids. Thus, getting professional domestic help is the ideal way to sort things up. But here few people make some mistakes while hiring domestic help.

Here we have the top 4 mistakes to avoid while hiring your maid.

#Mistake 1: Hiring a Maid in Singapore without Previous Customer’s Testimonials

• Sometimes you fail to read the reviews written by your maid’s previous employers.

• Fail to inquire anything about the maid related to her work experience and complaints, if had any.

#Mistake 2: Not Hiring a Maid in Singapore from an Agency

• Some people hire any nearby maid for domestic help with a view to save money on hiring agency.

• Compromise with the household service against the low fees charged by the nearby maid.

#Mistake 3: Not Interviewing the Maid

• Hiring without asking questions in an interview might causes you trouble at the household front.

• Some employers fail to check about personal background and previous employer’s experience of the maid.

#Mistake 4: Choosing a Maid Agency Outside Singapore 

• Did not hire the maid as per Ministry of Manpower (MOM) terms.

• Hired an unprofessional and unethical maid for saving money.

• With a view to avoid the documentation process, you hired a maid outside your territory at a low price.

Conclusion

Hiring domestic help is a matter of great responsibility. A maid should be a trustworthy person taking care of your home and children. So, avoid the common mistakes and hire according to prescribed terms and conditions.

How Can You Hire a Maid If She Is Not in Singapore

 A majority of Singaporean households employ a foreign domestic worker (FDW). There is a long list of requirements set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that you need to fulfil before you can employ a maid in Singapore (SG). The first step to making the hiring process easy is to approach a reputable maid agency in SG.

Hiring a Maid Agency

Once you’ve ensured that you are eligible to hire a maid, you can start your search for the right maid agency. Make sure the agency you choose is licensed by MOM. Once you’ve selected an agency, you can talk to their representative and tell him or her about your needs. The maid agency will help you interview and select an FDW to cater to those needs.

You can hire an experienced maid who is already working in a Singaporean household or hire a new maid from overseas. Experienced FDWs are transfer maids, and therefore, you don’t need to train them. However, new maids are cheaper as they don’t have any prior work experience. 

Hiring a Maid If She Is Not in Singapore

Your maid agency will have a database of available domestic workers in Singapore and overseas from countries like the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. The agency will provide you with a list of candidates based on your needs and preferences. If you like the profile of a domestic worker from a country other than Singapore, you can go ahead and interview that candidate.

Your maid agency in SG will arrange a webcam and/or telephonic interview for the choice of FDW to facilitate the selection. You must give prior notice to the agency if you wish to conduct an online or telephonic interview with a maid who is not in Singapore. Interview the candidate well and be clear in your mind what is your priority - is it cleaning, cooking, childcare, elderly care, or something else?

Once you finalise a maid, the agency will take care of all the paperwork and work permit application and issuance. The agency will help you arrange a maid’s flight ticket to Singapore. As an employer, you will have to bear all the costs - from work permit, travel ticket, Employers’ Orientation Programme, Settling-In Programme, pre-employment medical examination, levy charges, insurance to other costs associated with hiring and employing a maid in Singapore.

Conclusion

It is difficult to know everything about hiring a new maid in Singapore, especially with MOM’s strict regulations on foreign domestic worker employment. Hiring a maid agency is the best way to avoid hassles and paperwork. You will get constant support and guidance from the agency during the selection and hiring process. 

Joint Income or Sponsorship Scheme: Who Can Apply for Work Permit for FDW

 Hiring a maid in Singapore is regulated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). You have to meet certain criteria before hiring a foreign domestic worker (FDW). One of the most important factors that MOM takes into consideration when deciding if you can hire a helper is an income. If you are an earning individual and have the mental capacity to discharge your responsibility as an employer, you can easily hire a helper with the help of the best maid agency in Singapore. But if you do not fit the salary requirement set by MOM or you are a senior citizen, MOM offers two schemes under which you can apply for a work permit for an FDW. Let’s check out details about the Joint Income and Sponsorship Scheme in this blog.

Minimum Salary Requirement for Hiring a Maid

MOM has set a minimum salary requirement for hiring a domestic helper based on the overall cost that you need to spend if you employ one, such as providing worker's salary, levy charges, insurance policy, food, accommodation, and other expenses. MOM assesses applications based on the salary, so married couples can combine their income and mention it in the work permit application. There are two special schemes that you can take advantage of in case you don’t meet the salary criteria of MOM.

Joint Scheme - What Is It?

Under this scheme, one can combine his or her income with an immediate family member, who is not his or her spouse. The family member could be a sibling, relative, parent or child, but he or she must live at the same address. If you’re applying for an FDW work permit, you must be receiving a higher salary under this scheme. You should also meet the following criteria:

• Be a permanent resident of Singapore

• Be 21 years old and above.

• Not declared as an undischarged bankrupt

• Have the ability to discharge your responsibility as an employer

Sponsorship Scheme - What Is It?

This scheme is perfect if you are a senior citizen, not earning any income, and not staying with any working adult. You can find sponsors who can help you apply for a work permit under the Sponsorship Scheme. These sponsors could be your children or children’s spouse, your grandchildren or grandchildren’s spouse, or your siblings. The income will be assessed by MOM based on the income of up to two sponsors. You should also meet the following criteria:

• Be a permanent resident of Singapore

• Be 60 years old and above.

• Not declared as an undischarged bankrupt

• Have the ability o discharge your responsibility as an employer

Conclusion

If you meet all the requirements set by MOM, hiring a maid in Singapore becomes easy by hiring the best maid agency. If you think your income doesn’t match the criteria, you can combine your earnings with your spouse or apply for the Joint Scheme. If you’re a senior citizen and have sponsors available, you can apply under the Sponsorship Scheme while applying for a work permit for an FDW.

Paying Salary to Your Foreign Domestic Worker: When and How

In today’s busy lifestyles and changing needs, the majority of Singaporean families hire foreign domestic workers to help them with their household chores or take care of their children or elderly parents. Hiring a domestic worker through the best maid agency is a convenient way to complete the hiring process quickly and easily. If you’re hiring a maid for the first time, you must know the maid salary regulations in Singapore to avoid issues in the future. Read this blog to know when and how to pay your maid.

What to consider when deciding on a salary

When deciding on an appropriate salary, employers must follow the minimum wage set by your domestic helper’s home country.

 

Country of Origin	Minimum Salary
Indonesia	$550
Philippines	$570
Myanmar	$450
Sri Lanka	$450

 

 

Apart from the minimum salary for a helper, living expenses should also be considered to decide if you can afford to hire a maid. If you hire a transfer maid in Singapore or an experienced candidate who has a specialised set of skills, you may have to pay more than a first-timer.

 As an employer, you must declare the salary amount to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and mention it on the employment contract. Explain everything to the maid and get the contract signed by her. Keep a signed copy of the contract with you and give one copy to your maid.

 When to pay salary to your domestic worker

Employers must credit the maid salary every month on the date specified in the agreement. The salary should not be less than what you declared to MOM. Maid salary should be credited directly to her bank, no later than 7 days from the specified salary date mentioned in the contract.

 How to pay salary to your domestic worker

Employers must help their domestic worker to open a bank account in Singapore, but they cannot open a joint account with the maid. MOM encourages employers to pay salary to their maid’s bank account directly. You can also pay via direct bank transfer if your maid requests you to do so.

 You can pay her salary in cash, but do keep a signed copy of the salary payment record, which you can produce to MOM when requested.

 As an employer, you cannot keep your maid’s bank book or bank card. You also cannot keep her money (or cash salary) with you, even if she asks you.

Things to know about maid’s salary raise

Employers should consider raising the salary of their domestic helpers on a periodic basis as a reward for their hard work and loyalty. The incentive you would provide to your maid will motivate her and help her to work even better.

Conclusion

Hiring a transfer maid in Singapore or a first-time maid is easy with the availability of MOM-approved maid agencies. Work with the best maid agency to hire a domestic worker and keep the aforementioned points in mind while deciding and paying salary to your maid.

How Can You Hire a Second Maid in Singapore

 According to the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM), nearly a quarter of a million households in Singapore hire domestic helpers. Sometimes one maid is not enough. Most households are unique in their needs. Some Singaporeans may need only one maid to take care of their household chores, while other households may need two domestic helpers to look after their young children or elderly parents as well as daily chores.

It is easy to hire a domestic helper through the best maid agency in Singapore. However, MOM approves an employer’s application to hire a helper. Your application will be accepted only if you meet certain requirements, such as you must be at least 21 years old, a resident of Singapore, must not be a bankrupt, and must possess a steady income.

Can you hire a second FDW?

Taking care of children, elderly parents, or people with disabilities is a 24/7 job. If you and your spouse are working full-time, you need a second maid to give an extra pair of hands to your first maid when it comes to housework. A domestic helper needs to work almost all the time to look after the daily needs of an aged family member or children. A helper cannot take care of household chores and elderly parents or children at the same time. She needs to rest and recharge. Two helpers are suitable when you have someone over 60 years of age living with you or if you have two or more children under 18 years of age.

In Singapore, you can apply for a second foreign domestic worker (FDW) and send the application to MOM. Your application will be assessed on your financial ability to hire, maintain, and keep more than one FDW.

Eligibility to hire a second FDW

You can hire a second maid if you have one of the followings:

• At least 2 children below 18 years old living with you.

• A parent or parent-in-law aged 60 years and above.

How to apply for a second FDW?

Engaging a maid agency in Singapore is the best way to hire another helper for your needs. An employment agency (EA) can help you select the right fit for your caring needs. You will save some time and can avoid all the troubles that come with hiring paperwork. Ask your maid agency in Singapore to submit a Work Permit application on your behalf and provide the EA the following documents:

• A copy of the children's birth certificates.

• A copy of the parent's or parent-in-law's identity cards and the employer's or spouse's birth certificate.

Conclusion

Hiring a domestic helper should be contemplated carefully. If you are financially stable, meet the eligibility criteria, and really need two maids for your household, you can easily hire a second FDW. Contact the best maid agency in Singapore to get started. Interview maids for your needs, finalise one maid, and ask the agency to acquire the work permit of your domestic worker by providing necessary documents.