Indonesian embassy’s new performance bond for maid employers: MOM questions who will mediate in disputes

SINGAPORE — The Indonesian embassy referred 64 foreign domestic workers with employment issues to Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) last year, but there was no breach of regulations in nearly 90 per cent of the cases, the ministry said on Thursday (May 10).

Both sides disagree on the embassy's implementation of a new performance bond for employers of Indonesian helpers here. On Tuesday, the MOM called the performance bond – which took effect last month – unnecessary and the embassy responded that it was "urgently necessary" to improve protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Singapore.

On Thursday, the MOM said it was unclear if conditions for the forfeiture of the performance bond will be spelled out clearly in documents issued by the embassy, that employers are made to sign.

An employment contract issued by the embassy is tied to the performance bond, for which employers have to buy a S$70 guarantee from one of two approved insurers and will have to pay up to S$6,000 if they breach conditions of the employment contract issued by the embassy.

The embassy had said on Wednesday it handled 1,579 cases last year of migrant workers facing issues such as non-payment of their salaries for months or years, overwork or physical or sexual abuse. It said the figure was likely the tip of the iceberg.

On Thursday, the MOM trotted out its own figures and said no breaches of its regulations were found in cases involving 56 of the 64 Indonesian maids referred by the embassy last year.

The MOM said it looked into every case and punished the errant employers and one employment agency in six cases. Two are under investigation.

To the embassy's clarification that it will conduct mediation and only forfeit the bond as a "last resort" if the employer is not cooperative, the MOM said: "There are also no details on who will be mediating and whether there will be neutrality during the dispute resolution."

The ministry also urged the embassy to refer cases of foreign domestic workers that require the ministry's attention for follow-up.

All new foreign domestic workers must attend a mandatory programme to learn about their rights and responsibilities, it said.

The women may turn to various assistance channels – such as the ministry's hotline (1800 339 5505) and organisations like the Centre for Domestic Employees and Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training – for help, it said.

The ministry previously said the embassy's performance bond was unnecessary because of Singapore's "comprehensive" regulatory framework. The embassy's performance bond is separate from the S$5,000 security bond that MOM requires of employers, to ensure that both the domestic worker and employer comply with the conditions of the Work Permit.