SINGAPORE: An employer has decided to terminate the contract of her domestic helper after discovering through CCTV footage that her one-year-old daughter was being neglected while she was away at work.
In a post shared anonymously in the “Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid/Domestic Helper” Facebook group, the employer claimed that the helper spent most of her time watching television instead of attending to the baby.
The helper reportedly fed the child only milk and allowed her to sleep for most of the day, without making any effort to prepare proper meals. If the baby refused food once, the helper would allegedly ‘give up and return to watching TV.’
In addition to the neglect, the employer also highlighted the helper’s refusal to carry out household chores during her menstruation period.
“[She would say] that she has stomach pain. As a working mother, I sometimes have to take leave or work from home just to manage my child’s needs, which she [my helper] is supposed to handle.”
The employer also expressed concern about the helper’s hygiene practices, stating they were “unacceptable” for someone tasked with caring for an infant. The helper allegedly “frequently put her hands in her mouth, scratched her teeth, picked her nose, and pinched her pimples.”
The employer shared that she had attempted to raise these issues politely, but the helper often reacted negatively and took offence.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable and worried for her child’s safety, the employer ultimately chose to end the arrangement.
“We have CCTV footage showing how she behaves, and we feel this is not a safe or healthy environment for our child. I am also scared that if we say something, she may harm the baby in some way. We already chose another helper. She is going back to her native Punjab soon. Very bad experience from Punjabi helper.”
“This is a typical scenario when engaging helpers these days.”
The post garnered sympathy and support from other members of the Facebook group.
One commenter urged, “Send her back!! The main thing for helpers is they need to be hygienic and clean, especially when caring for young children.”
Another wrote, “So sorry you’re going through this. That sounds really tough, especially with a baby involved. Glad you’ve found a replacement; hope things get better from here!”
A third suggested, “This is a typical scenario when engaging helpers these days.
If you can, put the child in childcare. More beneficial for her growth. All taken care of.”
“Engage part-time helpers to help you with the cleaning and get those daily tingkat services for your meals. It’s still workable on your end because you only have 1 kid. All the best!”
Loss of trust: a common reason for termination
Unfortunately, the case described above is not rare. According to the Ministry of Helpers’ website, loss of trust is among the most common reasons why employers choose to terminate their domestic helpers’ contracts.
This can happen when helpers leave the house without informing their employers, fail to complete assigned tasks, or ignore important instructions, especially those related to caring for children or the elderly.
Other common reasons for termination include personality clashes, cultural differences, violations of employment terms, poor financial management, and overall unsatisfactory work performance.
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