[worrycue]

I believe “maids” are “domestic workers” and don’t fall under the Employment Act but are governed by a separate set of regulations (best I could find): https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-fo...

Anyway most of what he says about “maids” is wrong - weekly rest day, must be paid monthly (no keeping of salary), … etc. as stated in the aforementioned link.

[dustintrex]

Currently, there is no legal mandate for a rest day, since the maid can oh-so-voluntarily "choose" to give up their rest days for an extra day of salary (~$20). Effective end-2022, they will finally get at least one day per month of mandatory rest: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/maids-mandatory-re...

You're correct in that employers are not supposed to confiscate salaries or passports, but rest assured, both are very common practices, as are things like working in multiple households, having to work outside the home, etc.

More reading: https://www.home.org.sg/

[worrycue]

“From 1 January 2019, as an FDW employer, you must not keep your FDW’s salary or any other money belonging to her, even if she requests for it.

You must not keep her bank book or bank card.”

https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-fo...

[dustintrex]

My next door neighbor illegally withheld their maid's passport and did not pay them for a half a year. When the poor woman finally convinced her employer that her young children back in Indonesia need to eat, she was frogmarched to a Western Union outlet and given some cash to remit, while being closely observed to make sure she did not keep any of it. When they decided to get rid of her, she was given one hour's notice to pack, driven to the airport, and had the cost of her flight ticket illegally deducted from her salary.

All this happened in 2020.

[c_o_n_v_e_x]

I have a neighbor who's now been through 7 or 8 helpers in a span of 4 or 5 years. Allegedly there's a limit on how many you can go through but somehow it's swept under the rug. It's in the maid agency's best interest to not report their clients...

[Yeri]

Did you file a complaint? Being of European descent and seeing these helpers/maids stories on the news on a monthly basis, this reminds me heavily of our colonial time.