I feel that with the introduction of the Case Trust and ASEA certification, these maid agencies are making more money from the employers especially when the maids are returned to the agency for transfer. The agents charge the employers $15 per day for the maid's lodging and meal.
Most of the time, the maids are parked in the agents' home and they get free maid service plus the maid's meal is paid for. One of my previous maid who is a transfer maid told me that she only get 2 slices of bread when she was staying in her agent's home waiting to be transferred.
When the agent came to collect payment for my new maid, I asked him if the maid actually get to eat meat for their meals since the employer is paying $15 per day for their stay. He said the $15 includes their stay as well. As if the maid is staying in a single airconditioned room and have meat, poultry or seafood for their meals!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Murderous Maid
The Indonesian maid who killed the 12 year old special needs child may escape the death sentence! I am really upset just thinking that a person who kills another may just get away with it by their age. When the maids come to Singapore, they are supposed to be 23 years old as required by Singapore laws governing maids.
My personal feel is that this minimum age crap and the entry tests are the 2 most useless criteria. Its useless as most of the time, the maids lie on their age. Some of them are as young as 15 and pose as 23 just to come to Singapore to work. When they are here, there is hardly any household chore that she can actually do smoothly and independently.
Imagine the child loses her life and this maid get away with murder! When I saw the ChannelNewsAsia newsflash around noon that this maid is a lot younger than her age, I got a feeling that she will not get the death penalty! Darn!! I felt it should be a life for a life no matter what or who. It should be exactly the way she killed the innocent child. If she dont die after that, then that's her luck.
My personal feel is that this minimum age crap and the entry tests are the 2 most useless criteria. Its useless as most of the time, the maids lie on their age. Some of them are as young as 15 and pose as 23 just to come to Singapore to work. When they are here, there is hardly any household chore that she can actually do smoothly and independently.
Imagine the child loses her life and this maid get away with murder! When I saw the ChannelNewsAsia newsflash around noon that this maid is a lot younger than her age, I got a feeling that she will not get the death penalty! Darn!! I felt it should be a life for a life no matter what or who. It should be exactly the way she killed the innocent child. If she dont die after that, then that's her luck.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Marilyn Obas
My new maid, Marilyn, who is from Philippines will be arriving Singapore next week. Upon her arrival, she will have to go for her medical, sit for her English and safety tests. I would prefer to pick her up from the agency after she has completed her thumb print.
When I spoke with her over the phone, she sounded rather excited. Her bio indicated that she is single. While talking I asked her if she has any children and she said she has 2 kids, 5 and 6 years old. This is not what I had wanted as I do not want those with kids as they will start missing their children. She gave me her assurance as she is not staying with her kids and the last time she met them was 3 years ago! Her mother-in- law is their main caregiver.
Anyway, it's been close to a month sourcing for a maid that fit my criteria so I decided to proceed with her. The other agents have tried to dump either their transfer maids or any of their other maids to me but I refused. I find that these agents gave me a couple of maids bio that are the exact opposite of my criteria and they expect me to select from one of the bios otherwise they dont provide other bios.
When I spoke with her over the phone, she sounded rather excited. Her bio indicated that she is single. While talking I asked her if she has any children and she said she has 2 kids, 5 and 6 years old. This is not what I had wanted as I do not want those with kids as they will start missing their children. She gave me her assurance as she is not staying with her kids and the last time she met them was 3 years ago! Her mother-in- law is their main caregiver.
Anyway, it's been close to a month sourcing for a maid that fit my criteria so I decided to proceed with her. The other agents have tried to dump either their transfer maids or any of their other maids to me but I refused. I find that these agents gave me a couple of maids bio that are the exact opposite of my criteria and they expect me to select from one of the bios otherwise they dont provide other bios.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Maid Agencies
I wonder what are the objectives of the maid agencies? Seems to me that there are some businesses who are in business just for the money. They do not take into account the interest of the employers at all. I had taken maids from so-called ISO standard, CASE TRUST certified, etc. In fact they are not much different from those without certification, at least the ones that I had entered into a contract. They leave their licenses pasted on their premises but will you know if their licenses are still valid?
My current agency is another example of why some employers, like myself, are having problems with the maids. I have told my agent my criteria of employing a maid. Although the maid bio stated 23 years old, this fella that came into my home is 18 years old. When I asked the agent, she turned around and asked me how did I find out about it?
To make matters worst, just today after informing her of the maid’s action, she had the nerve to tell me she needs to investigate the matter. I asked her what else is there to investigate? The maid confessed in front of 2 police officers and I recorded her voice? I felt it was unfair for me to pay for her food and lodging. She can stay in the prison where she can have free meals and no work to do.
Then this agent said I changed maids many times so I told her it is none of her business. If the maid is not suitable, I will change as many times as I need to. If need be, I will go for the Employer Orientation course again and will justify my changes with MOM and that is not her damn problem! Irritating!!
My current agency is another example of why some employers, like myself, are having problems with the maids. I have told my agent my criteria of employing a maid. Although the maid bio stated 23 years old, this fella that came into my home is 18 years old. When I asked the agent, she turned around and asked me how did I find out about it?
To make matters worst, just today after informing her of the maid’s action, she had the nerve to tell me she needs to investigate the matter. I asked her what else is there to investigate? The maid confessed in front of 2 police officers and I recorded her voice? I felt it was unfair for me to pay for her food and lodging. She can stay in the prison where she can have free meals and no work to do.
Then this agent said I changed maids many times so I told her it is none of her business. If the maid is not suitable, I will change as many times as I need to. If need be, I will go for the Employer Orientation course again and will justify my changes with MOM and that is not her damn problem! Irritating!!
Killer Maid
I had the misfortune of hiring a killer maid, Nur Aliyah! This Indonesian maid, although is underage at 18 instead of the minimum 23 years old to work in Singapore, put bleach into my son’s soup. Thank goodness that my sister suspected something was amiss and didn't feed my son. My sister is my son’s main caregiver.
This maid had stayed in my home for close to 2 months. During this time she is unable to carry out any decent housework independently. That is how we found out that she is underage. Generally, 23 years old Indonesian maids are able to perform simple cooking and basic housework unlike their Singaporean counterparts.
I was so furious when I found out that she had poured bleach into my son’s food! I demanded an explanation from her. Of course as expected, she denied ever doing such a thing and started saying all her prayers to prove that she is innocent. I told her to cut the damn crap. I gave her an option, drink up the soup to prove there is nothing wrong with it or I will call the police.
As expected she refused to drink so I called the police. 2 police officers came and took statements from both my sister and myself. When I showed the police officers the container of soup, one of them had a sniff and knew instantly what was in there. They asked her and she mumbled something so they asked her to speak louder. And, the reason she gave was she was fed up of being scolded by my sister! Cant do the job yet her the nerve! I felt like slapping her which I wished I had!!
Imagine even with proof, I am unable to press charges. According to the Investigating Officer, IO, the maids will “turn turtle” and court cases generally take a very long time to solve which mean that I would have to keep going to the courts. Also, if I do this, I will lose the loan I had put up for her and will not get a replacement maid! I told the officer that the law is quite unfair!!
Didn't want the maid to be in my home overnight so let the police take her away. The agent will then have to pick her up from the Jurong Police Station.
So the maid selection and nightmare of training another maid will start all over again!
This maid had stayed in my home for close to 2 months. During this time she is unable to carry out any decent housework independently. That is how we found out that she is underage. Generally, 23 years old Indonesian maids are able to perform simple cooking and basic housework unlike their Singaporean counterparts.
I was so furious when I found out that she had poured bleach into my son’s food! I demanded an explanation from her. Of course as expected, she denied ever doing such a thing and started saying all her prayers to prove that she is innocent. I told her to cut the damn crap. I gave her an option, drink up the soup to prove there is nothing wrong with it or I will call the police.
As expected she refused to drink so I called the police. 2 police officers came and took statements from both my sister and myself. When I showed the police officers the container of soup, one of them had a sniff and knew instantly what was in there. They asked her and she mumbled something so they asked her to speak louder. And, the reason she gave was she was fed up of being scolded by my sister! Cant do the job yet her the nerve! I felt like slapping her which I wished I had!!
Imagine even with proof, I am unable to press charges. According to the Investigating Officer, IO, the maids will “turn turtle” and court cases generally take a very long time to solve which mean that I would have to keep going to the courts. Also, if I do this, I will lose the loan I had put up for her and will not get a replacement maid! I told the officer that the law is quite unfair!!
Didn't want the maid to be in my home overnight so let the police take her away. The agent will then have to pick her up from the Jurong Police Station.
So the maid selection and nightmare of training another maid will start all over again!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Underaged Maid!!
For some strange reasons, I notice only Indonesian maids tend to lie on their actual age. My current one who came to my home about a month ago, is 18 years old, according to her though I thought she cant be more than 16. She said her Indonesian agent told her that if she tells the truth about her age and her ability to do house work, no employer will want to employ her.
I took her based on her biodata provided to me by my maid agent. In her bio, she indicated her age as 24. I felt that it is rather unfair of the Indonesian agent to coach their maids to lie. The issue will be with the maid and the would be employer, like myself, as the maid will not be able to do the work they supposedly know.
Apparently during her stay at the training centre, all she did was to memorise the English test as her English really sucks! The agent was extremely excited that this maid passed her test at the first attempt! Big deal! I didnt find this a big deal when all you do is memorise some 300 - 400 multiple choice questions over a month doing absolutely nothing else except eat!
Looking through my previous posts, seems like its the same thing over and over again. Most of the Indonesian maids whom I hired are liars! When I confronted my agent, they asked me how come the maid tell me that she is 18 years old? She was unable to do housework independently so I asked her how come at 24 years old, she is unable to do housework and cooking. The maid said that she only helped her mum prepare the food for cooking and dont do the actual cooking!
I am not the bit surprised if a 24 years old Singaporean tells me that she is unable to cook or do any housework independently but for an Indonesian, it is almost "Crap!"
I am in the midst of changing her for a Filipino. At least I believe Filipinos do not lie on their age but they they have an attitude that they know better and tend to act smart!
I took her based on her biodata provided to me by my maid agent. In her bio, she indicated her age as 24. I felt that it is rather unfair of the Indonesian agent to coach their maids to lie. The issue will be with the maid and the would be employer, like myself, as the maid will not be able to do the work they supposedly know.
Apparently during her stay at the training centre, all she did was to memorise the English test as her English really sucks! The agent was extremely excited that this maid passed her test at the first attempt! Big deal! I didnt find this a big deal when all you do is memorise some 300 - 400 multiple choice questions over a month doing absolutely nothing else except eat!
Looking through my previous posts, seems like its the same thing over and over again. Most of the Indonesian maids whom I hired are liars! When I confronted my agent, they asked me how come the maid tell me that she is 18 years old? She was unable to do housework independently so I asked her how come at 24 years old, she is unable to do housework and cooking. The maid said that she only helped her mum prepare the food for cooking and dont do the actual cooking!
I am not the bit surprised if a 24 years old Singaporean tells me that she is unable to cook or do any housework independently but for an Indonesian, it is almost "Crap!"
I am in the midst of changing her for a Filipino. At least I believe Filipinos do not lie on their age but they they have an attitude that they know better and tend to act smart!
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