no food for maid

[not right...]

An acquaintance of ours left Friday for approx 10 days holiday.  Our maid bumped into their maid, who had told her that her employer didn't leave her any money for food.  The even sadder thing is that they didn't even do a grocery shop before they left, and the poor maid was left with barely any food to eat.  Not even anything left in the freezer.  Why do people do this?  Maids barely make enough, and "some" employers think that because they go on holidays, that why do they have to leave food for their helper?  Their helper even had a huge list of "things to do" while away.  How much energy would you have if there was no food left for you.  Truly disgusted!

[humptyhump]

Report them.

Grumbling on here isnt going to fill her stomach.

[friday.]

Let's see, Friday? Check.
Post about 'maid abuse'? Check.

Yep. I'm guessing Friday wind-up attempt!!!!

[not right...]

Believe me, I've already donated some items, just think it's sad.  Yes, we'll be making that call!

[dutchess]

don't be ridiculous 'making that call'. you've only heard one side of the story. and what's with this reporting people??? in a country where rules are so strict you should think twice about things like that. you don't know what the reasons were, you're a grown-up, why don't you just lend her some money, ask her to keep the receipts for whatever she spends on food and confront your 'friends' when they get back. don't be a tell-tale (or whatever you call that), you're not twelve years old anymore!

[LLx9]

Three options.

If the maid is locked in the flat with nothing to eat....
Call the police to have her freed.

Else buy food - and send the bill to the neighbors.

Else MYOB.

[oh lord]

Dont know aboutyour friend but my former maid was too crafty for her own good. We went back to Oz for 10 days and left her with a fridge and pantry full of food, $200 (meant for emergency money) and another $300 which is 50% of her salary (as we left mid month). When we came home, the pantry and the fridge was completely empty..not even a biscuit left! The $200 was gone as well. Heaven knows how one person could finish the whole lot.  After she was gone, we hired a wonderful Indonesian maid. A few days on the job, my Indo maid was approached by a couple of the Filipina maids and told her that my former maid owed them money and left without paying them a cent. Apparently my former maid told them all that I had left without leaving her any money or food in the house so she is starving and needed money to feed herself. She swindled approximately $500 from the other maids.

No wonder all the other maids were looking at me rather strangely!! They then wanted me to pay them back the $500!! Not a chance in heaven...

[belger]

best thing to do right now is to give her some food. you dont know yet if shes telling the truth, so going to the police might be a little hasty at this point

[i'm lucky]

Guess I'm lucky based on these stories here. We left for a relatively long period of time and left a fairly large amount of money for our maid to buy food. When we returned, there was still S$100 left and she told us she owed us money because she had sent some of the money to a relative back home who needed it.

By the way, I agree with the poster who said just give her some food rather than money. If she is truly without food then food is what she needs the most. If she is just scamming for money, let her try to get it from someone else. I wouldn't involve the police at this point, but I would say something about what you are hearing from the maid to the employers when they return. Might end up being a very interesting version from them I'd guess.

[Bagshot, Col.]

I say, is this the poor maid who has been saddled with 3 children while the parents slope off for an "overseas" weekend? What?
Damned shame.

[caHOOTERS]

Be careful of your maid too, she might be in cahoots with the other maid to scam you. Heck, she might be the instigator.

Tell-tale signs (you would have known she had been treated badly all this while) would have been there if this was true.

Call their bluff. Watch their reaction when you say you're gonna report to the authorities.

[Mumof2]

I had a maid who wanted to get out of her contract earlier but didn't want to pay her own way home. She called the agent and complained that there was no food in the fridge and we didn't feed her enough.

The agent came over to investigate the complaint and the first thing the agent said was " If they were not feeding you enough, how did you gain at least 10 kg?"

[agreewith oh lord]

Couldn`t help but NOT be surprised by your story. Similar situation for a friend of mine who actually knew her maid was crafty. The year before the husband had left $500 for emergencies (vet biills for the family pets etc) (the maid has an extra $200 a month for her own food (her request as she does not like or want the famly food, basics she can take and anything else but does not want) as the family were going away for abt 4 weeks. Plenty of food in the fridge and freezer and cat and dog food bought for the period. instuctions to buy only if necessary with receipts and when they return make sure there is fresh veg and fruit inthe fridge.

On thier return, SURPRISE SURPRISE nothing ready and oh yes no money left and no receipts

This year the employer left me the $500 (I am a work colleague and had heard the story!! what a laugh) and my number with the maid. The same as last time. All the basics bought , $200 for her food and dog and cat food for the month.

Can you believe in just 5 days after they had left, she was ringing me up for some cash saying she had no money for any food (I have known the employer for 9 years now)

`yes maam, I think I only need $200`

fine i said I`ll just telephone the Uk and check as your employer told me she had left you with etc etc.

`oh its ok maam, its just the dog and cta food, only $100 then

Ok I`ll call the Uk''

Oh no maam its ok

Of course I could not resist teling my friend in the UK and she said to call the maid back and tell her to come a few days before they were due to arrive back and give $50 and no more unless a real emergency

The ending maid $50 to buy fresh groceries, employer keeps $450

AND this time I made sure the maid KNEW that the $50 was for groceries and we wanted receipts

Do not believe most of the maids here they earn more than bank managers do in the Philippines even if only on $350 (if you take into account no living expenses utilities, food, taxes transport. They are higher paid than many of the local pop with free accommodation and food

My maid is good and has been with me for 6 years but still I see reciepts for everything.

[Wow]

She gained 10kg?  Most of them look like they only weigh 40kg to begin with.