Nov 23, 2009
At the mercy of maids and agencies
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RECENTLY, my maid ran away with her boyfriend one month after starting work with us. We spent some effort and managed to track her down. We took her back to the agency for repatriation on police advice.
Unfortunately, the agency did not carry out the instruction and was trying to transfer her out only to have her run away again on the third day there. We were told of this only three weeks later when we asked why she was still under our employment.
I called the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for advice and was told by Ms Sheila that it is the employer's responsibility to find the maid and repatriate her. MOM holds me responsible even though we gave specific instruction to the agency for repatriation the first time she ran away. And the fact is she ran away from the care of the agency.
MOM will not take action against the agency even though the agency should know it must cancel the maid's work permit immediately when she went missing but did nothing. Ms Sheila insisted MOM cannot do anything and advised me to complain to the accreditation body. But what can the accreditation body do? Isn't the employment agency licence issued by MOM, so why can't MOM take action against unscrupulous agencies?
Where is the protection when employers are victimised by maids and agencies?�
Peterson Tan
KNN! If we donch forfeit your security deposity, we use what to punt? *hee*hee*
At the mercy of maids and agencies
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
RECENTLY, my maid ran away with her boyfriend one month after starting work with us. We spent some effort and managed to track her down. We took her back to the agency for repatriation on police advice.
Unfortunately, the agency did not carry out the instruction and was trying to transfer her out only to have her run away again on the third day there. We were told of this only three weeks later when we asked why she was still under our employment.
I called the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for advice and was told by Ms Sheila that it is the employer's responsibility to find the maid and repatriate her. MOM holds me responsible even though we gave specific instruction to the agency for repatriation the first time she ran away. And the fact is she ran away from the care of the agency.
MOM will not take action against the agency even though the agency should know it must cancel the maid's work permit immediately when she went missing but did nothing. Ms Sheila insisted MOM cannot do anything and advised me to complain to the accreditation body. But what can the accreditation body do? Isn't the employment agency licence issued by MOM, so why can't MOM take action against unscrupulous agencies?
Where is the protection when employers are victimised by maids and agencies?�
Peterson Tan
KNN! If we donch forfeit your security deposity, we use what to punt? *hee*hee*