After coming to Singapore, some maids may suddenly regret working here or become homesick.
In these situations, it can be daunting for the employer to find a replacement maid.
One must be familiar with the risks associated with employing domestic helpers and find ways to mitigate these risks.
Yet the risks are different when you hire with or without an agency.
Which option is safer? 🤔
(Hint: Maid Agencies share the risk of maid hiring with you by offering free agency fees for a replacement maid.)
Maids May Regret Coming To Singapore For Work
Source: Pexels
Homesickness and regret is a common reason why some domestic helpers decide to return home within a few months of arriving in Singapore.
It is not easy for them to leave their family, especially those with children, to come work overseas.
Despite taking a leap of faith to work in Singapore, they may only realise how much they miss their children and family back home.
Even being well treated or have already made many friends in Singapore, these reasons are not strong enough to keep them here.
Employers Bear All The Risk If They Hired Maid Without An Agency
Source: Pexels
Employers sometimes consider hiring a maid without going through an agency to save on fees.
While this approach may seem cost-effective initially, it exposes employers to significant risks.
When employers handle recruitment independently, they bear the full cost of such situations.
There are no recourse for refunds or replacements. 💸
It is an exteremely frustrating situation, especially if you greatly depend on the domestic help to manage household affair
Maid Agencies Share Hiring Risk By Voiding Agency Fees On Replacement Maids
Hiring through a reputable maid agency significantly reduces this risk.
If your domestic helper’s employment ends within the first six months, MOM regulations entitle employers to
- 50% refund of agency fees
- Or the option of a replacement helper, with no agency services fees.
The agency will guide you through the process, ensuring that you receive the necessary support and assistance.
Agencies typically offer up to three free replacements under MOM guidelines, provided each employment ends within six months.
Exceptions to Refunds Or Replacement Maids
Agencies are not required to refund fees if they only handled administrative tasks or if
- Employers breached employment laws,
- Committed offences against the maid,
- Or there is a change in circumstance where caregiving services are no longer required, such as due to the passing of a dependent.
Thus, it all parties must be transparent and ascertain the clear reason for a maid’s termination of contract.
Replacement Maids Fees Are Still Incurred
Compared to hiring a new maid, replacement maid fees are cheaper since agencies will not charge service fees.
However employers still need to pay for the logistics and administrative fees, such as transportation, medical checkups, and permit processing.
Thus, be mindful of the term ‘free’ maid replacement, as there are still costs incurred.
Sharing Responsibility Between Maid Agency And Employers
The maid replacement and refund policies reflect a shared responsibility between agencies and employers.
In the maid industry, transparency, accountability, and clear communication throughout the hiring process are very important.
Agencies are incentivised to provide successful matches, but as maids are not products, every hire has their own potential risks involved (this is the reality of hiring people in any industry in general).
Long-standing agencies rely on intuition and pattern recognition to identify the best potential matches out of the available labour force.
Employers who go through an agency are partially shielded from the high costs and long transition time in the event of sudden employment termination.
Risk sharing makes it safer compared to hiring without an agency.
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