Sri Lanka's High Commission cautions domestic workers to S'pore

[sgnewsalte]

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=35567

Lankan Mission in Singapore advises prospective domestic workers


The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore has received a number of complaints from Sri Lankan housemaids, who are employed in Singapore relating mainly to the payment of wages and working conditions as well as compelling them to be involved in illicit activities. Housemaids account for approximately 15,000 out of the total expatriate Sri Lankan population of about 23,000 in Singapore.

A significant number of housemaids have neither been registered with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) nor secured employment in Singapore, through SLBFE licensed employment agencies.

Many of these housemaids face problems with their employers, since they have not been adequately briefed by the employment agencies on their duties, emoluments and prevailing rules and regulations in Singapore, governing domestic workers. As a large number of the housemaids report to the Sri Lankan High Commission without any details of their employers or employment agencies, the Mission finds it extremely difficult to assist them.

The High Commission has received complaints that unscrupulous recruitment agents in Sri Lanka have levied exorbitant sums of money from prospective housemaids, making false promises of high salaries and brought them to Singapore on visit visas, in contravention of Singaporean immigration regulations.

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Singapore strongly advises all prospective Sri Lankans wishing to secure domestic employment in Singapore to ensure that they register themselves with the SLBFE and also follow the mandatory training programme conducted by the Bureau, prior to their departure.

Housemaids who have received such training and an orientation on the working conditions in Singapore are better equipped to handle the household chores assigned by their employers and also able to command higher salaries and perks, compared to the untrained housemaids.

Further, they will be covered by the insurance scheme of the SLBFE and would also benefit from the protection afforded by relevant Singapore government regulations governing domestic workers.

 

[masgnoeL]

MOM sleeping on the job again.
In Sinkieland, employers are at the mercy of their maids and the maid agencies.
The only victim here are the employers of maids.

The levy to MOM is as high as the maid's salary. Employers are feeding these MOM choh-boh-lans and instead of coming to the aid of employers, MOM adopt a careless attitude when maids merrily opt for countless transfers to seek for the PERFECT EMPLOYER.

The maid's idea of a PERFECT EMPLOYER are:
1. Employer always overseas.
2. Both couple works and come home late, leaving the whole household to the maid.
3. The children are grown-up
4. Family always go on holidays, taking the maid with them.
5. Family always eat out.
6. No elderly to take care.
7. Stay in condo...smaller footage and with dryer, so no need to hang clothes.
8. Employer engages external laundry services, so only need to keep household clean.
9. Employer can speak their language.
10. Employer allows them to go off every Sunday to make male friends at Lucky Plaza or City Plaza or Tekka Centre or Mustapha Centre.
11. Employer allows the maid to receive calls from house-phone from the maid's friends.
12. Employer allows friends to visit the maid when they are not around.