Should We Allow Foreign Domestic Workers To Do Part-Time Work? | Talking Point | Full Episode
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- Have you ever wondered what your helper is doing on her off day? In this episode of Talking Point, Steven Chia investigates the illegal side hustles full time maids take on. How do they get these second jobs? And why do they take the risk? We speak to foreign domestic workers, NGOS and employers about why maids moonlight, and if we should consider making part-time jobs for them legal.
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i dont understand why including their off day they need to be controlled. they are not slaves. give them chance to make themselves better by doing businesses and other non maid jobs.
Exactly, we Singaporean are always talking about education and job progressions. Giving them a chance to progress and learn new skills isn't a bad idea! And those who say, "they will steal your jobs", I just have to say, wake up wake up WAKE UP!
if they do other job, then it isn't really "off day" is it? They came with work permit as a maid, then they should focus with that.
Off day means they can do what they want like improving themselves. Rest is not equal to off day. A maid working 6 days a week should not exceed working 8 hours a day. The rest of 16 hours a day during workday is the rest.
that's because they are only meant to help out so both families can go out and earn double income and not supposed to take on other jobs which drives down local wages. yeah this is what u get in a ruthless neo liberal economy. Hong Kong is just as bad if not worse.
yep i agree. im going to hire a few FDWs and make them all go out work then pass me commission for allowing them go out work.
Let them be free to work to make extra money do not treat them like criminals they are already slaving themselves..
k i agree. im going to hire a few FDWs and make them all go out work then pass me commission for allowing them go out work.
If got into accident employer need to pay for hospitalizations
@@ailinseah3190 then repeal that law. Make the employers not accountable for off day mishaps. Once regulatory barriers are repealed, workers and employers should have an agreement if moonlighting is allowed or not. Should be up to the employer and worker what contracts they would enter into. These are adults.
Domestic workers across the world work long hours and earn peanuts. Many of them suffer verbal, emotional and mental abuse in the hands of their savage employers while others come home in a box. It's a meager amount to you but it means a fortune to them and their families back home. This documentary highlights moonlighting as illegal in SG but showing them empathy won't hurt, Steven. 😪🙏
used to work in singapore and one of my colleagues hired a maid for her 3 toddlers and to do all the house chores for a price of $500 per month. the maid only has 1 day off per month, not allowed to use her mobile phone and her passport were kept hidden. so yeah sounds like modern slavery.
Some of the questions are rather ignorant, “why do you need so much money?” Absolutely ludicrous, anyone would need extra money, Singaporeans too! Moreover, these FDWs often come here in the first place because they need that extra money. That “extra money” could go towards giving their children a better education, or simply the basic needs. The double standards is just insane and so blunt
The law: ........
Domestic workers: $600 (Salary) - $500 (Back to family) = $100 (Low standard of living)
Employers: Fine = up to $10,000 (Doesn't want to bear the consequences)
Three Solutions:
1) Increase the salary to a reasonable amount (not $600...., working 8hrs, 6 days a week)
2) Review the law (not saying to legalise but to transform)
3) Have better moral CONSCIENCE for our FDW (Foreign Domestic Workers)
we need more videos like this.
Salary of FDWs definitely needs to be reviewed. Different families have different needs of a FDW and a standard $600 is unreasonable, e.g. size of the house, scope of the job (taking care a baby or elderly or bringing kids to school), it can't be a standard salary for everyone. Then again, if the salary were to be increased, many families would find themselves unable to afford it, and it'd be even worse for the FDW who would find themselves jobless.
I'm working in Singapore for more than 20 year, my salary is $640 and barely enough for me to save for my retirement next time when I go back kampung, I want to do part time job cleaning people house, but I don't dare to..... I have no friends to go jalan" to, so for almost 3 months I never take my off day and stay at home do work without being paid to😥
So u stay for 20 years if it so bad???
LEAVE THEM ALONE for goodness sake stop controlling an dictating wbat they can an cannot do ugh
LOL the music makes it sound like they murdered someone.... "All your food, accommodation, expenses...etc are covered..why do you need so much money? "......Urghh...That question deserves two tight slaps...against legalising side hustles? Then they should pay more to the workers instead of being so cheap . "My helper gets 500 a month..I don't feel she is underpaid"...the cheek of that woman. Exploitation at its finest.
So true 👍
Because she is archar.
What so proud about when you give us left over food, if not go to our tummy it will go to dustbin, and we buy our own thing soap shampoo and so on, even coffee we buy our own, I'm not complaining of anything just let your know
@@yatini3922 your employer must be a real cheapskate asking you to buy even the coffee ☕ 🙄
However I am very grateful that I still have this job, some people/some of my friends are worse than me
Come oooooon. $600 is pityful wages.
Plus, there is soooo much demand.
Simple,dont work here.
@@chuak.c7349 do your own cleaning and cooking
They are helpers who should be supported if they willing to go extra, not slaves. The question of allowing or not shouldn't even be in the first place. We have one that we have employed for over 12 years, we even set aside a small portion saving on top of her income separately in case one day she is old and or wish to go back to her country.
Because maid employers still pay and treat maid like slave. Pay them proper salary, give them proper visa and treat them like proper human. What a hypocritical issue!
maid can buy 3 storey bungalow while employer barely scrape by.. are you sure what you're typing?
This guy is retro in n out - classic benz and old iphone
I notice this kind of problem when i was working in singapore 8 years ago.. i have a friend who happens to be maid she only get 350 dollars as stay in maid before some of them dont have day off...she only go out for groceries or when her employer is out of the country... maids being look down and treated as modern slaves... what they do on their day off is nobodies business... if you dont want them well start cleaning your own home, do your own groceries and watch your own child but i bet your too lazy to do that
@@user-jd2dn5fb2g Some participant said,"$500 to send home, $200 for own's pocket money" 😂. What about money for the piggy bank?🤣🤣!!
@@user-jd2dn5fb2g 100% agree with you. Dont come to singapore to work if they are not happy. Think singapore gov own them a lot. If want to do buz in singapore do it in proper way and pay tax.
Yeah I'm sure we begged u to come and work for us.
We are very low salary so we try to work so that we can support ourselves and family
If you don't want your helper moonlighting pay them a normal wage, problem solved.
Pay them enough so that they don't have to go do another job. But it's never enough for some people how much they earn.
Tell that to Singaporeans who are scrimping their maids. They have enough money to pay properly. But money is never enough for the rich. And let's not kid ourselves, compared to most nationalities, the majority of Singaporeans are wealthy.
Yeah pay them enough then they can go back buy land be rich while Singaporeans get squeezed until no money.
That's none of your business. This is invasion of privacy. Unless they are committing a crime otherwise that's nobody's business.
That is a violation of the contract which allowed them into the country and would eventually destroy the relationship and cause a backlash from the government.
They are literally committing a crime, it's illegal genius
Is it guilty is one is resourceful and entrepreneurial? If it doesn’t bother the quality of work, then I don’t see a problem?
Is a problem if they break sinapore's law.
Thanks for creating this documentary. Now I know how Singapore views our Indonesian workers.
Introduce a special part-time/extra work health insurance programme for foreign workers which they pay for themselves. Make it legal for them to work extra/part-time jobs if they purchase and pay for their own insurance. This insurance programme should also be realistically affordable for them which should be possible since it's only part-time coverage. For their full-time work, insurance should continue to be covered by the employers.
It is possible that many still will not insure themselves under such a system and continue to work illegally but at least this this opens up a legal avenue for those who are willing to pay for their own insurance. Also it puts extra responsibility on the workers themselves so they won't have anyone to blame but themselves if they get caught working illegally.
Are you encouraging domestic helper to break singapore law??
@@chuak.c7349 Did you even read? The biggest concern for many of the people interviewed and in the comment section appears to be "who will pay for insurance if they get ill or injured while doing part-time?". I was suggesting that if that is indeed the case, a system where foreign domestic workers pay for their own insurance for additional work days should be considered.
For example, in many parts of the world, you are only allowed to drive if you have your vehicle insured. No insurance = illegal driving. Likewise, self-insurance while part-time = legal / no insurance while part-time = illegal.
In many Western developed countries, maids have the full rights as any other worker. They have the right to get pregnant, access to WIFI, have a social life outside work, can keep their passports, are paid well and are respected. On top of that, many maids do not stay with their employers, much like many employees do not stay with their bosses at home. If they wanna freelance their work to more than 1 employer, so be it. Singapore's set-up is very much modern-day slavery that penalises and controls with a tether, the bottom-rung of the society, even discriminates their pay based on country origins. Do we do that with other-industry workers based on other countries and nationalities? What happened to merit?
Unfortunate tone used by the reporter. It showcases a huge lack of knowledge of what human rights and fair treatment of workers and people mean. Singapore seems backward and quite undeveloped in comparison to most developed countries. His tone and basically this video would not be allowed here in Norway. The whole focus would be on the side of the workers. Not the opposite.
Too bad,this is singapore not Norway.do not judge others base on your own set of standard.
@@chuak.c7349 agreed on the do not judge part but he/she is right a lot of Singaporean don’t understand what is fair treatment to domestic workers. That is fact . Period .
sadly u are right. I say this as Singaporean myself who have lived abroad and I am ashamed at this modern-day slavery treatment
Totally agree with the lawyer. Why not MOM legalise it for them to work part time, at certain hours per week to make sure they have enough time to rest, of course providing the current employer agree and ackowledge it and make them sign an agreement to say that if they injure outside the register household then they or the part time employer need to bare the medical fee for them? This is a win win situation. Clearly the helpers are not earning enough. And some employers cant afford (or dotn want to pay more lol) to hire the local cleaners. Well MOM take so much levy, they should think of something to help both employer and FDW. Just my two cents.
The fact this video is available, were made and "considered to be a problem" has epitomised Chinese Singaporeans got no clue what human rights is!
@Susan Ananda Not talking about Arabs. This is a Singapore story, Channel is Singaporean, funded by Singaporean government. You talk about arabs?? go to arab and write in arabic to complain. lol
@Susan Ananda Going home with a bonus-Arab baby 😂 🤭
Employers need pay deposit buy insurance and alot more if anything happens the employers going to suffer for them hospitalizations not cheap be fair would you willing to bear high cost for hospitalizations which is very very expensive i
Why not? If they can handle it and it doesn't disturb their main job as domestic workers, why is it a problem? Why should they be 'allowed' to take another job when it's their own time? It's not like they're working another job while working as domestic workers at the exact same time. They're not slaves, you know. Just because you hired them, doesn't mean you have the right to chain them to your will 24/7.
You must ask singapore gov.
I think their pay is too low . Some employers are treating them like slave . Sleep in the store room etc .
I am glad we give our helper the best we can .
To anybody that dont understand, Ive heard of so many stories of these maids coming to singapore, earning what seem to us as "basic" money but do wonders in their own country. $100 to us may seem like it may last us 2 weeks at most, but because of how poor currency is in indonesia for example...they are able to thrive at least 3-6 months with a single day's pay of $100 SGD in their home country.
I wish that i can hire domestic worker in Sydney for $600 AUD, I paid $600 per month just for my parking at work
Casual help who come in a few hours to do housework is cheaper than a live-in maid. In UK it roughly cost £10 per hour for casual help. Nannying cost about the same. Many of them are locals from lower income families. A few hours, twice a week is enough. The real cost isn't just SGD$600. $600 does not include the cost of their food and board, nor the monthly $300 foreign worker levy paid to the government. Nor does it include upfront agency fees, insurance, medical cost, airfares etc.
Well Australia is one of if not the most expensice country to live in. Not really comparable. Your prices there are just really effed up.
Some singaporeans dont know the rules by taking helper..there is a situation of my friend packing things for her employers online business everyday,as far as i know the contract is to take care the baby and do house hold chores only...
The man who said "... depending on their origin" clearly exploits one of the advantages of capitalism. The reason why developed countries hire foreign workers (from underdeveloped/developing countries) is that it cost them LESS than if they hire their own people.
And your point is ?
The policy for foreign workers needs amendments; they're in Singapore to earn money as much as they can, so why not let them.
This law is ridiculous. If migrant workers are willing to work for more money, that should be fine on their off days. They are not robbing nor stealing. They have to support their families abroad. They are not doing anything wrong. Give me a break...cut them the slack! It sounds like there needs to be a law for MINIMUM WAGE so that the foreign workers have enough to survive.
I'm curious to understand further why they opted SG - as compared to HK.
$600 is way too little for the amount of hard work they do.
HK can only take limited number of them.
When you are desperare for a job to feed your family, you go where the job is. You can't really just wait around for a slot in HK while your fam's starving.
And besides, for ofws, most of them apply to an agency in the philippines and they might not really have the luxury to choose or at least wouldn't be informed enough to make those decisions.
Stepping stones they like maids who work in sg before
In Hong Kong, the owners do not house the FDW. Meaning they will have rent a room outside.
Why can’t FDWs take on part-time jobs/adhoc jobs during their free time? There must be some reason, but to the common man, it just doesn’t make sense...
Not encourage this. Then better not apply maid job. I hope the company should to set some rules.
I used to be a FDW in singapore way back 1987 my monthly wages was 230SD and after a year (i'm talking about years with no vacation/ days off,working 7 days a week) when my employer decided to increased it to 250SD and wanted me to stay for another two years- i declined the offer...i love singapore and most singaporeans are quite friendly.
So if Singaporean moonlight as grab drivers or do food delivery outside their day job working hours is ok?
One question: If FDW injures herself (minor or badly) working in another household (ie via moonlight), who is responsible for her medical bills? Her employer who employed her legally with work permit issued by MOM or the other household whom she moonlights? Or the maid herself if it’s her negligence. Be fair with an answer and no hate answers. CNA, do you have an answer?
They can do whatever they want on their off days, they are humans, not children
If they moonlight and get injured or injure someone
Are the employers still responsible?
No? You done with your office job and otw home you accidentally injured someone wouldnt make your employer liable
@@beyondthewaves3 Oh really ? Then why do they make employers pay for them when they meet with an accident in another household? So If she injured herself while moonlighting you better be dead sure I'm not supposed to pay for her.
Beforehand should read terms and conditions to them let them understand what regulations should be follow
singapore seems like jail to me..
Do you think, living in the philippines is so cheap meh, prices here and in the philippines are almost the same.. how can $600 enough.. especially if you have kids going to school or universities
Yeahh 600 dollars is not enaugh in philippines
Many household cannot even afford the $600 to hire fdw like me.
Fatigue management should be considered. If domestic helpers work on Sunday, may be overworked
You know what could really regulate their fatigue? Giving them at least 2 day offs and paying them more. Just saying.
How about paying them more and not just pityful $600? Give them 2 days off a week. These singaporean employers are acting like they are paying premium salaries to their domestic helpers. Disgusting! Stop modern slavery and start treating these domestic helpers with dignity and respect they deserve.
Heard on the radio but cannot see video
I think its about time for some singaporens housewife want moonlighting like housekeeping twice per week basic housework I'm looking for these aunties like Korean they hire aunties come in the day go back after curtain time
East coast planner can come out with new plan.
Pay them a living wage and they won't need a second job. It's shocking how little these people get paid by people who can do better
Chose other jobs not all employers are bad not all maids are good its the same i have friends who treat maids very well if expenses like transport and etc employers do pay
I like your car man.. ❤️
Why can't this hipo government law jailed those human trafficking prositiutions in ther country ,those decent clean sidejob make it a big issues
Ya employers will be responsible for all the things that the maidgot into and bear full cause of hospitalizations there are laws if not in situations we never understand
getting 600$ salary in ah Month is not enough most especially if you have kids in university. and some employer don't provide toiletries for thier helper and some employer don't give good food to thier helpers. we are human beings also we are not zombies😥
i understand that its against the law, but these men are punished because they work hard not to stay crippling poor. these men are showed as criminals, but they are often treated as slaves. its hard to believe slavery is still legal in some countries.
While the employer who sent the fdw to clean his son house only received a warning letter from MoM when caught. Hahaha Singapore laws so fair right.
Don’t punish the workers for utilizing gaps in an inherently corrupt system. Do punish the exploiters who exploit people in precarious positions.
Ask DPM
$500 n can built the banglo hahah lmao
anyone caught providing extra services?
mabuhay ang mga kabayan.. Diskate lang yan.
Salary not enough, specially when you have kids going to university.
How about if you want maids not to earn extra money on their days off, pay them more
How about they choose not to work in singapore if they think pay too low???
@@chuak.c7349 How about stop exploiting people from third world countries?
Mi nieghbour she got caught here boss, then she got blacklist, online selling money luandiring Xtra income from maid suppliers too now she got nothing
Msians working in sg r the best n luckiest….especially those holding luxurious jobs. 1SGD=3.20 RM. many r hypocrites
I wish America had more programs like this.
The law no use ?
Then drop the law.
Where's our favourite manpower minister?
Right, MOM minister please comment on this issue??? Why dont ask the minister???
No demand, no supply. Singaporeans hire too many maids.
I know some families share their maids to clean multiple homes because they only need to pay govt levy for one maid and share this maid across multiple homes. I also know some families that have adult children who have their own homes bringing their laundry to be done . Some maids that r hired to look after elderly parents ends up cleaning multiple homes and baby sitting children on top of looking after their parents. Basically Singaporean r taking advantage on cheap domestic maids to do all the cleaning .
It should be illegal and penalised. Give them a off day to relax, to not be overwork like the Parti Liyani who have to clean 2 house. Now, turn one round there working side hustle illegally cleaning other houses on the off day.
If the employer of Parti Liyani is in trouble for asking her to clean a second house. What about these overworked maids cleaning multiple houses?
The law should be changed. The forced day off is making dfws spend money they don't have. Not all of them can stay in their rooms/residences during day offs, you know. Plus, it is up to the person to regulate their own rest/workload during their OWN TIME. It's not your time, not their employee's time, not your government's time, its THEIR OWN TIME.
@@usucktoo no, it is as of current illegal, and if they're caught they will be penalised, simple as that. If Parti liyani can claim to be overworked for cleaning the employer second home, they're now cleaning a second home, they should be similary penalised.
Their off day they can sit at home and do nothing, or they can do cheap things and run their errands. This is not a civil case, this is a criminal offence.
If is not enough, why they want to work here?
Because they have no choice. Third world country . You are too privileged to understand. Then if you can’t pay more then why hire maid? Do yourself la
@@TheRealMcCoyAndChipsAhoy I do not have domestic helper even though I have money. Waste of money,I do everything by myself.
Why hire illegal moonlighting DFW's when you can hire Sgaporeans? Surely you guys can afford them but why do you risk it? Why the demand?
Combination of good script production, reporter's acting and driving mercy with manual gear shift on steering wheel, is like watching a 90's movie
I am surprised an old Mercedes in Singapore, old car is expensive to keep up in Singapore.
TODAY..., most families can afford an Indonesian maid ....!
In reality most could do without their maid but have become lazy and pampered.... .!
The presence of too many foreign maids and labourers have already had a very negative effects on this country.... !
WE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE A HIGH INVOME COUNTRY IF THE GOVT ALLOWS TOO MANY FOREIGN LABOURERS & MAIDS AS THEIR SALARIES WILL BE KEPT AT THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT AND THE RICH TAWKEY/BOSSES WILL NEVER WANT TO SHARE THEIR PROFITS THROUGH THE INCREASE OF SALARIES...!
THAT ITSELF WILL. DISCOURAGE THE LOCAL FROM APPLYING FOR THESE JOBS...!
As the population increases and the World economy suffers..., there is just too much unemployment....!
This country's Rakyat will lose out terribly in the years to come because of the presence of these foreigners in this country ...!
TSMY must explain to the people WHY THE GOVT WILL NOT BE OPENING ITS DOORS ANYMORE TO THE FOREIGNERS....!
THE GOVT MUST STAND THEIR GROUND FOR THE SAKE OF THIS COUNTRY ..!!
I guess the only thing MOM cam do here, if they want to help FDWs is set a minimum wage irrespective of nationality. 500sgd is peanut for both the employee and the employer.
PS: you cannot build a 3 storey bungalow in india with 500sgd a month
The wage is set by home embassy. You may check on their respective website. This is not set by MOM. If ur not employing maids from that nationality why bother what they are getting paid ? How does that really affect you?
I can show you her house. I went to her house warning ceremony myself. Perhaps you'd like to come along with me.
@@monicarai1497 i am not denying that she built a house. There must be other source of income involved. May be her husband pitched in. By tour logic all the FTs working in Singapore should be owning palaces in india
@@843mint Do you even know what is the exchange rate in india and what is the property price in india ? If you don't know then why are you so concerned about their income and what they are doing there ? We indians dont take fdw from your Myanmar and pinoy and what not. Then why do you need to comment on what we are paying our own helpers also? It's none of your business also. Unless your telling me you put all your eggs into one basket and measure them. This salary is set by their embassies back at home. Unless you tell me you're controlling the Indian embassy why dont u guys just mind your own business ?
can explore work from home for maids
Its illegal but they risk their life just to earn more money för the family put yourself in their situation..lol
tax free
Obviously what this video didn't mention is some FDWs are part-timing as prostitutes. Some even have multiple 'boyfriends' How do I know this? I used to part-time at an hourly hotel in Geylang during my off school days. So if u legalize part-time work, prostitution work can? If gotten STDs, who will be responsible? Sir or Mdm?
Work parti is very hard working tjen why you catch them they did not do criminal
Why you always complain domestic helper salary in dollar very little but in my country money change is normal why maid also human please stop control and abuse maid another type of job another people also work and they earn more than dollar5000 you not say anything but house maid earn 600 you said alot phizzzzzz house maid also worker I'm human also 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
Make a CPF-like system for them and use the money that the government charge for levy and give it to them. Let the maids access it by the end of their employment. An extra $450 to these maids will solve this moonlighting problem.
You think sg gov.do charity work?
can I know where would that extra 450 coming from? your pocket?
@@chuak.c7349 Singapore very generous what
@@TheRealMcCoyAndChipsAhoy singapore only generous to our own,not for foreigners.if you are alien that's too bad.
Make it legal so all food businesses can just hire FDW for their bungalows and make them go to work ;)
If sacarsm doesn't work for you, I don't know what will.
That fdw who interview a media they have more paid
Nice English bro
?????? Catch no ball.
even nsfs earn more than maids lmao gg