1. Why should you hire us?

2. Are you a Licensed Maid Agency?

3. How long we have been in business?

5. What's our commitment?

17. Where can I find more details?

18. Can I ask my MAID to clean my windows? I live on the 13th floor. Can cleaning windows be justly considered a domestic chore?

Perhaps yes, perhaps no.

But is it worth arguing if one outcome of this obsession with clean windows may be the death of a young woman in the prime of her life? On August 3, 1999, The Straits Times reported "Maid falls 13 floors and dies".
On June 26, 2001 The Straits Times published a photo submitted by a Singaporean woman showing a maid precariously perched on the window sill six storeys above the ground. A fall from the 3rd storey will certainly kill. A fall from the 2nd storey may not always lead to death, but it may incapacitate the victim for the rest of her life.

19. Can I employ a MAID part-time if her employer does not object?

No. Both the employer and the MAID are committing an offence. An MAID may not work for anyone other than the employer named in the work permit. It does not matter if she paid or not.
Before a work permit is issued to her, she has to acknowledge certain conditions, among them:

"2. I shall only work for the employer ... named in the work permit..."
"3. I shall not work for any other person, in any capacity, with or without monetary payments."

20. Can an employer ask her maid to clean up her mother's flat once a week?

It is very clear that a foreign domestic worker may not work for another person. The employer may not claim to be ignorant of this prohibition because he will have made a declaration prior to the issuance of the work permit: "I shall not send the foreign worker to work for any other person..." See Employer's Declaration, item 8)

and

"I shall ... employ the foreign domestic worker to perform only household/domestic duties at the residential address as shown on the work permit." See Employer's Declaration, item 10)

23. What are the obligations of the employer to the MAID?

The employer owes it to the MAID:
" to pay her salary on a timely basis
" to provide adequate food and suitable
" to provide medical care (includes hospitalisation)
" to provide a safe working environment *
" to give her the respect due to another human being not matter how humble.**
" to treat her as a human being.***
Though the above duties are self-evident, there will be people who still fail to recognise their obligations as employer and human beings.

* Some maids have fallen to their death while trying to clean the windows or putting out the laundry to dry.

** Others have been physically abused and one was beaten and went through hell for 9 months before she finally died of injuries inflicted by her employer.

*** One maid was starved and beaten to death in Singapore. The maid weighed 50 kg when she came a year and a half earlier. After 9 month of brutal abuse she weighed on 36 kg; had 200 bruises on her body.

But the people of Singapore do not condone this inhuman treatment. The judge sent the man to prison for 18" years.

24. Must all MAIDs go home when their work permit expires?

Yes, unless she finds alternative employment (and is issued a new Work Permit that goes with the new job). The new employer would put up a security bond and the old employer's bond then becomes null and void.

The old employer would be advice in due course, by Immigration, the his/her liability under the Security Bond is discharged.

But of course, it takes some effort, on the part of the MAID to find alternative employment.

The lead time is about 7-15 days, depending on the competence, aptitude, reason for the maid wanting a new job, etc. Some Maids take forever to get another job and others are hired the moment they meet a prospective employer.

25. In a transfer case, when may a maid report for work with her new employer?

An application for a work permit for a maid may be submitted via LabourNet, normally accessible only to licensed employment agencies.

After it is approved, the employer or his agent must furnish the MAID with an insurance policy to cover personal accidents and hospitalisation at least 24 hours before the next step is taken to finalise the transfer.

This next step is sometimes referred to as "collection of work permit", or more accurately "submission of documents required for the collection of work permit." When the application is approved, it is then accessed from LabourNet and printed out by the agent, together with the approval, usually referred to as the in-principle approval. On the so-called "date of collection" the following documents are submitted to Work Permit Department:

1. the application,
2. the in-principle approval
3. the insurance policy
4. and miscellaneous other documents referred to elsewhere

At this time, the maid's current work permit is returned to the WPD and a new one issued, but not physically. From that moment onward, the new employer is legally her employer with all the responsibilities and privileges. The new employer is liable for Foreign Workers Levy henceforth and the previous employer liability ceases. The physical work permit card may be collected a week later. But the worker need not wait to collect the physical work permit card, she can start work on the so-called "date of collection".
Collection of the Work Permit is really a 2-step procedure

1) Submit "In-principle approval" and supporting documents and get in return a "receipt" which might be viewed as a temporary work permit allowing the maid to start working for the new employer.
2) Collect the actual Work Permit card (valid for about 2 years) one week later.

27. What documents are needed for a first-time employer?

For the purpose of applying for a work permit for an MAID, a first-time employer is one who is not currently employing an MAID, even if he has employed an MAID earlier.

A first-time employer has to furnish more documents in support of his application. However, if he is already employing one and wants to replace her, he has to furnish only his Identity Card (citizens and permanent residents) or Passport and those of members of his family. There is no need to establish his place of residence or ability to maintain a foreign domestic worker.

Supporting Documents to be submitted by First-Time Employers.

A local employer has to furnish

1. his Identity Card (as well as those of members of his household)
2. Proof of income in the form of

" Notice of Assessment (and that of the spouse if applicable)
" or his authority to the Ministry of Manpower to verify his income (and his spouse's if applicable) with the Internal Revenue Authority;
" or if he has recently returned after an extended absence, a letter by an officer of the company he is attached to showing
i. His position in the company
ii. His monthly income
iii. The date employment commences
" If Notice of Assessment is not available and the Employer has not paid income tax in the current or previous year,
i. his income tax assessment if he was working abroad
ii. and a statement from CPF showing his contribution for the last 3 months, if applicable.

An expatriate employer has to furnish

5. passport - of self and members of the family
6. employment pass and dependent pass of family members living with him/her
7. and one of the following:

" Notice of Assessment (if employer is liable for Singapore income tax) of himself and that of the spouse if applicable
" or employer's Authority to Ministry of Manpower to verify his (and his spouse's) income with Internal Revenue Authority.
" or, if he is new and therefore is not liable for income tax, a letter from an officer of the company he is attached to showing
i. His position in the company
ii. His monthly income in Singapore dollars
iii. The date employment commences

28. What is the Security Bond Protector?

When the employment of a foreign maid ends she either transfers to a new employer or goes home. Sometimes the maid is unable to find alternative employment and her employer is required to cancel her work permit and repatriate her under the terms of the security bond.

However, sometimes the maid wants so very much to stay in Singapore and starts to play hide and seek with her employer in the hope of avoiding the inevitable repatriation.

If she is not repatriated 30 days of the cancellation of her work permit, Immigration Department has the right to seize the five-thousand dollar bond. If the employer succeeds in tracing the MAID and manages to persuade her to go home, Immigration will consider his request for the refund of his bond.

To avoid losing one's bond, the employer is now able to buy an additional policy. This policy protects the employer up to 90% of the bond and if the maids disappears and cannot be found, the insurance company will pay Immigration $5,000, the employer reimbursing the insurance company only $500, or only 10% of the amount.

29. What should I do when my Maid stops working?

According to the terms of the Security Bond, the employer has to repatriate the MAID when her work permit expires, unless it is extended for another period. The maid may choose to transfer to another family.

Repatriation.
If the Employer does not extend the MAID's work permit and she is unable to find alternative employment within the period specified, the Employer can either extend the notice period or cancel her work permit and repatriate her.

Transfer
Often a maid would prefer to work for someone else rather than go home. She will then need:
" her employer's written consent (a form available from MOM is used for this).
" her passport (original)
" her work permit (original)

These three documents are required at the time the MAID or her agent "collects" her new work permit. The old work permit card is retained by MOM.

31. How does one go about cancelling the work permit of an MAID?

The ProcedureTo cancel the MAID's work permit, the employer is required to submit to MOM 4 documents:

1. A letter to MOM advising that she is terminating her maid's services and repatriating her.  (A form letter for this purpose is available.)
2. A ticket to the MAID's country of domicile
3. Her passport
4. Her work permit card.

MOM will retain the letter and the work permit card and return to the employer the MAID's passport and the ticket plus, in addition, a Special Pass. which permit the maid to stay until she is repatriated. The two-year visit pass issued to her when she was first issued a work permit is withdrawn and the maid thereafter relies on the Special Pass to stay on.