Maid - sundaywork, holiday work/pay

[Anmari]

What is the norm to pay if one's maid works on a Sunday or Public Holiday, and if she accompanies one on holiday ?  Hourly if only a few hours or by the day?
What about late babysitting ? does anyone pay extra for that ?

[Fair Pay]

Everyone's different but here's my two cents:

Philippine Embassy requires you to pay the girl if she works on a day off (generally Sunday) .. it used to be $10 (!) but now I think it's $20 .. I think you'll find many expats pay $25 for a half-day and $50 for a full-day. Don't forget she needs her rest too...

Late nights are up to you but if it's frequent like around the holiday season, then give her some additional cash. Also if it's a lot of late nights hopefully you don't expect her bright=eyed and bushy tailed in the mornings.

If you have agreed in advance that she is expected to accompany you on holidays, this is still work! You might think it's a holiday for her but a holiday for her would be you going away and leaving her at home to rest. Same idea .. give her money. You might want to offer some local currency and give her a chance to do some shopping .. generally she would probably prefer a rest and the money.

[Norma]

There appears to be a norm of sorts, at least where first-time domestics are concerned. If they are Filipinos, they start at $320 per month and they get either one or two days off per month. For Indonesians, it is $240 per month, without any off days.

There is not overtime pay because it is not required by law. Domestic employment is not regulated by the Employment Act.  The terms are negotiated between employer and the agents of the maids. The terms have remained relatively unchanged over the years and if they are changed it is to reflect a change in the situation.

Indonesian girls 10 years ago were paid even lower than the $240 are getting today. Then the Philippine government decided to give the Indonesian a boost. They banned the deployment of Filipino maids to Singapore. As a result of this brilliant move, the salary of Indonesian girls shot up to $230, then $240. Imagine the effect on the demand for Filipino domestic workers if the Indonesian maids were still get $160.

And when (1995-1996) Filipino maids were not coming to Singapore because of the perceived threat to their safety, those who brave enough to stay back in Singapore were in such great demand that employers would offer them generous raises to sign on for two more years. Sometimes the raises were not enough to fend off poachers.

So if you want to have a good maid working loyally for you for as long as you are in Singapore, set the norm yourself. I know two employers who did. Their maids worked for them for over ten years.

One of them got a ten-thousand dollar gratuity when she retired! I do not know what kind of gratuity the other got, but her employer has invited her over for Chinese New Year, all expenses paid, not to mention pocket money.  

And very recently one maid I know off, will be going home for her second all-expenses paid vacation in less than two years. Her halfpat family (man is xpat, woman is ypat) go to New Zealand for Xmas and thought the maid might like to spend time with her own family. And, what the heck, 1k spend of airfare and incidentals is not such a big deal to them.

This maid is not going to give her employer any problem, you can bet on that. And when they relocate to Hong Kong in June, the maid will be only too happy to go with them.

[Anmari]

I hope to change the 'norm' without rocking the boat too much (I've already caused some consternation becuase the maid grapevine already relayed to one employer that my maid has 'every night off' - not strictly true). It seems the word does go around fairly quickly where maids are treated differently.

Anyway we think the 'terms' that these people have to live with are bad enough and have decided to pay more with more free time etc, No curfew, her own phone (she pays calls).  We are of course lucky to have a wonderful person as our maid.  

Any ideas about pension schemes, unit funds, where they should be located (Phillipines ?) etc.

[This message has been edited by Anmari (edited 21-12-2000).]

[Vicky]

Dear Anmari

Two people witnessing the same event will give two accounts of it. A "news" item
transmitted through the grapevine is all the more easily distorted. But who cares, really.

If you feel that your maid (and others like her) are underpaid and overworked, then it is totally within your rights to pay her a little more and work her a little less.

But you should bear in mind that your maid is all too human. And you may have to counsel her so that she will know how to cope with more free time on her hands. Will she have so many calls than she can handle and end up talking on the phone so much that it begins to tell on her work?

You deserve a wonderful maid and hopefully your maid deserves you. And if she does, you might consider setting aside a small sum each month which you can give to her when you have to go home. Since this is a gift and not a contractual obligation, you have the privilege of attaching a string to it:

The money you set aside is a gift from you to her if she is "honorably discharged", i.e. not fired for breaking one of the ten (or 5 or whatever) commandments: "Thou shalt no steal, etc.", and stays in your employ until it is time for you to go home or until you agree to release to work for another family.

The money (yours until you give it to your maid) should be located where you have total control. Your intentions are laudable. Don't let someone screw it up by surrending control to some distant "authority" who should have thought of ways to work for the welfare of their "unsung heroes" instead of leaving it to people like you.

[DaveT]

If she works on her day off or a holiday, most local employers will give about S$20 - S$50 per day as compensation.  I know my neighbour gave S$50 for the extra day. Alternatively, some local employers will give the maid another day off in compensation.  

As for gratuity, it is unheard of.  Instead, it is a fact that many chinese families give a final "ang pow" of 3 months or more salary
to the maid, which may amount from S$1,200 to S$5,000.  I have 2 colleagues who have also paid return tickets/pocket money for in-between home visits during the contract periods...especially when the maid's family is in need of her.

And some chinese families invite former maids back for the chinese new year as well..with all expense paid for by the former singaporean employers..since they are considered part of the family.

There are of course among expats & locals who treat their maids less well.

But on a more serious note. The maid has recourse through the local laws when the maid chooses to bring the matter to court where there is any hint or evidence of abuse.  So whether expat or local, the law will come down equally hard on them..no one is above the law when it comes to personal safety..and safety & protection for our foreign maids is no exception... you will find the local laws very equitable!  

[This message has been edited by DaveT (edited 02-01-2001).]