SINGAPORE: A helper asked for one day off each week, but her employer asked what she planned to do with it. That casual exchange set off a storm.
The employer shared her side of the story in the MDW in Singapore Facebook group on September 10, 2024. The report was published by The Independent Singapore the next day, on Sept 11. She said her helper, who was hired about four to five months ago, wanted weekly time off to address issues with her husband.
“When I asked what she was going to do when she was off, she said to talk to her husband, but she said yesterday when she called her husband, he didn’t pick up [the call]. Her reasons for taking off every week don’t tally with what she says,” the employer wrote.
She also asked the helper if she wanted to return home. The helper refused. She said she needed the job to support her family. The employer then raised other gripes. “She doesn’t vacuum her room, and yesterday, I found out there’s dust under her bed and around her room,” she added.
The comments were sharp and to the point. One netizen asked, “Why must you ask your helper what she’s going to do during her day off? That’s her rest day. The employer must not ask about that.”
Another wrote, “You don’t like her working style, so she has no days off? She demands a day off, so you suggest sending her back? Just transfer her… take another helper.”
Others said the dusty room might mean she was too busy caring for the household, or she was still settling in. A few urged the employer to speak to the helper directly rather than post online.
One comment stood out: “Maybe you can try to talk to her like a friend; don’t talk to her as a maid. Once she feels treated as family, she will naturally open up over time. A lot of employers complain about their helpers, but they never even put themselves in the shoes of the helpers and see things through their lenses.”
So what is a rest day really about then? Control, trust, or basic rights? In Singapore, weekly rest days for migrant domestic helpers are not new, yet tension around them keeps surfacing. On paper, a day off sounds simple enough, but in homes, it can feel quite personal. Employers worry about work standards, safety, or outside influence. Helpers think about rest, family, and dignity, so expectations often clash.
Some employers expect full loyalty and spotless results. Some helpers expect clear hours and space to breathe. When those ideas are not said out loud, small issues grow. A dusty corner becomes a sign of a poor attitude. A question about a phone call feels like doubt.
There is also the power trip. One party controls the contract and salary. The other depends on that income, often to support children or parents far away. When an employer asks what a helper will do on her day off, it may sound like an innocent, curious question, but to the helper, it may feel like she has to justify her time.
None of this makes either side a villain. It just shows how fragile the employer–helper bond can be. It lives inside a private home, yet it is shaped by rules, money, and distance from family.
The online backlash shows a shift in public mood. Many now see a rest day as a basic, rather than a reward for good cleaning. At the same time, employers still expect high standards in their own homes. That tension will not vanish with one viral post.
The harder work happens offline. Clear rules. Honest talk. Fair feedback. Respect both ways. A weekly day off should not be a test of loyalty. It should be what it says it is. A day to rest. Nothing more, nothing less.
Read related: Maid says she needs a weekly day off, but her employer asks her what she’s going to do on her day off
