Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Shared responsibility needed in maid employment contracts

It is important to allow employers and maids to exercise their right to terminate their contract. Yet, irrespective of who ends it, the employer ends up paying for the air ticket or incurring costs in getting a replacement.

It is important to allow employers and maids to exercise their right to terminate their contract. Yet, irrespective of who ends it, the employer ends up paying for the air ticket or incurring costs in getting a replacement.

The Manpower Ministry is right that this is made known to employers, but they are left with no choice if they need an extra pair of hands at home (Maid employment contracts allow early termination for flexibility; June 8).

Maids can easily terminate the contract without any cost implication or penalty, and a fairer policy is needed to protect both sides. Employers must be treated fairly to prevent abuse of the system, which is currently overprotecting the maids. Whoever terminates the contract must bear responsibility, otherwise maids may tend to keep transferring until they find a job they deem pleasing enough.

Although maid agencies provide replacements and try to match employers to maids, these services come at an extra cost.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.