SINGAPORE: Hiring a domestic helper can ease the load at home by helping working couples cope with child care and the care of ageing parents, but it also comes with firm legal duties. Clear limits on job scope, housing standards, and weekly rest days protect both employers and domestic helpers.
Help Is Here (HIH) published a guide outlining the requirements employers must meet under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulations. The rules are that a maid is there to support the household, not to take on just any task asked of her. Here is what employers need to know before signing an employer-helper agreement contract.
A helper’s job scope is strictly domestic
A maid’s duties are limited to household work. That includes cleaning, laundry, ironing, grocery shopping, and cooking. She may also care for children, elderly family members, or pets.
Tasks like car washing, gardening, massage services, or repair work are not considered standard domestic duties. If both the employer and the maid agree to those extra duties, they must be clearly written into the contract before it is signed.
There are stricter limits for business use. Employers cannot deploy their maid to work in a shop or prepare food for sale. She also cannot take on part-time work for someone else or earn side income during her free time.
The consequences can be serious if a maid is caught doing unauthorised work; the employer may be blacklisted by MOM. That could mean losing the right to hire another helper in the future. For families who depend on help for daily care needs, that is a heavy price to pay.
Proper housing is not optional
Accommodation rules require that a maid must be given adequate shelter that protects her from heat and rain. Having her sleep on a balcony is not acceptable.
Basic items must be provided. These include a mattress, pillow, and blanket. Toiletries such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste must also be supplied. Some employers give extra cash for these items. Others purchase them together with the maid.
Ventilation is another requirement; if natural airflow is not enough, a fan must be provided. Not all helpers are accustomed to air conditioning, so many employers opt for electric fans.
Safety and privacy matter as well. A maid must not sleep near dangerous equipment. She cannot share a room with a male adult or teenage boy.
If cameras are installed in the home, she must be told where they are. Recording devices cannot be placed in bedrooms, changing areas, or bathrooms. Installing a camera in her sleeping space breaches her privacy.
In smaller flats where there is no spare room, employers must still ensure adequate space and privacy. Some create partitioned areas in the living room to provide a private sleeping space.
Rest days are a legal right
Employers must give at least one rest day per week. That works out to four days a month. The one rest day per month cannot be compensated with extra pay.
On rest days, helpers often head out early and return at night. They are not allowed to stay overnight elsewhere.
If both sides agree that the maid works on her rest day, she must be compensated. HIH explains that the rate can be calculated by dividing the monthly salary by 26 working days. For example, if a maid earns S$700 a month, each rest day that she works should be paid at about S$27.
This rule is meant to protect physical and mental well-being. Domestic work is physically demanding. Regular rest is part of fair employment, not a favour.
Employers and helpers arrangements
Demand for domestic helpers remains steady in Singapore because hiring a maid can help a busy household, but it is not a free pass to assign any task or compromise their living conditions.
When arrangements are fair and lawful, they protect both sides and work better for everyone in the family.
