No, I’m not talking about my maid woes. She’s fine so far. I’m talking about my sister’s maid woes.
Second sister’s maid’s tenure of 2 years has ended. Not wanting to renew it, my sister went to apply for a new one about 2 months ago. She timed it so that the new maid would arrive in time to replace the new one. Almost near the time for the new maid’s arrival, she was informed that the new maid she had picked had changed her mind about coming to Malaysia to work and preferred to go to Hong Kong instead so second sis had to pick another new maid. Hmmm strange that they are allowed to change the mind after being picked and processing halfway.
By this time, the old maid’s time was up so second sister is left with none. She now has to take in a temp maid at a daily rate till the new maid that she picks arrives in another 1-2 months time. The temp maid is a reject Cambodian maid. The employer’s whom she was supposed to work for rejected her because of language problems, because she did not know how to operate a washing machine and because she did not know how to lay out a table. “I hired a maid to help me out not to give me more work!” Thats what the employer said as told by the agent.
My sister thinks the temp maid is ok so she has decided to keep her. This means that she has to apply to transfer her from the other employer to herself. The process takes about 2 months. In the meantime she has to keep on paying the daily rate.
I think the agent benefits from the entire process. They do not lose out at all. They benefit if the maid that they promised fails the medical or changes their mind after being picked (like dat oso can). Why? Because then employers are in a quandary and those who are in urgent need, have no choice but to pay more (eg: pay a daily rate). They benefit when those employers take in a temp maid. Imagine paying a higher daily rate for a maid that someone else rejects. This way you “train” the maid for 1-2 months while waiting for your new maid. Mind you, you have to “pay” to “train” ok? And the agent probably gets to recycle this temp maid or inform the next employer that they have a well trained maid for others who need them urgently. And then as in my sister’s case, if you decide to take in the reject maid, you pay a daily rate while waiting for the transfer.
Well anyway, back to sister’s Cambodian maid. She looks like a sweet young girl with a smiley face but she doesn’t speak English or Malay. She does not understand what is breakfast, lunch or dinner. And she has no previous experience so sister has to teach her everything. Looks like second sis is going to be very very busy in the next few months. Training a new maid plus she has a kid who is taking PMR and another doing SPM and another Std 5 kid. Two major exams. Boy oh boy is she going to be stressed. Poor sis.
Agency always profit and they seldom take responsibilities. You can tell by the increasing number of maid agencies around here. Sad but true.
My part time maid always tell me that the agency mistreat them, no work = no pay and always hold up their pay too.
In the meantime, they collect the pay from the employers. Duh.
Wow, that’s a tough job ya!
Maid oh maid, they alway give me problem and yet I cannot go without them. What to do!
Tough ya.
I agree maid agencies make a profit from all arrangements. Yes, even in instance for runaway maids because employers would had paid the fees when they took the maid and request for refund will not be entertained.
Recently my friend has just paid an arm and a leg before she could take her maid home. Part of the payment includes a 4 months’ salary of the maid being fees charged by the agency to train the maid. No, the 4 months’ salary does not go to the maid but is deemed as payment of fees to the agency. The disappointing fact is the maid was not trained at all by the agency and my friend ended up teaching the maid everything.
Oh, usually its 6 months salary. The maids have to take a loan from the agents, so they don’t get paid for the first 6 months while the agent pockets the money. Imagine working and not being paid for 6 months because you have to take an advance loan in order to work. And yes you are right. They are not trained by the agencies. Some of the really inexperienced ones don’t know how to use simple home appliances like gas stove, rice cooker, kettle.
She must be one patient woman! Considering a new maid and changing this current one will take the same time, why settle for her?
Hopefully she is a quick learner and will appreciate your sister’s teaching her.
Actually, this maid seem quite all right. All she needs is some guidance. At least this way, sis won’t have to wait for 2 months to get help.
Maid, sometimes for some reason give us “headache’ 🙂
but why should we always need them…sigh!
It’s such like a “hate-love” relationship.
We can do without them but having them around just makes life easier domestically although it may complicate life in other areas. Are you confused again? Hehe.
Aiyo, kesian indeed.
Yah lor.
This is exactly what happened to me. I was promised a new maid in 2-3 mths’ time but I waited for 6 mths still no maid and I was about to deliver. I took 2 temp (rejected) maids from this agent and paid a few thousand bucks for them @ RM800 per mth. In the end, I had no choice but forced to absorb the 2nd rejected maid coz I was to deliver in a few weeks’ time. I feel so so cheated, aargh!
Oh no, thats just terrible! Hope that the maid you took in is ok eventually.
gosh, I didn’t know they allowed that, the change of mind I mean, that’s so unfair! I do hope yr sis’ new maid is a fast learner… heard that most maids prefer to go to HK, Taiwan, Middle East since the pay is much more, so getting a good maid is getting more difficult… all the best to yr sis ya…
Yah, I think its ridiculous that they can change their mind after being confirmed as selected.
oh dear your poor sis. have to pay for a maid and need to coach her as well. big headache!!
Actually, I don’t think the coaching part is the problem as its to be expected anyway but the paying daily part is a problem.
true,agents always benefit. I normally kicked a big fuss, of which they then either refund me pro rated or replace another maid. But having said that, 2 other agencies still owe me refund because I decide to do without maids or any more replacements. I shouldn’t have released the then existing reject maid to them unless they pay me in cash or by cheque. AFter that, I made sure they give me my refund in cash or cheque before I release the reject maids.
Yes, yes, that should be the way. I think they’ll just take advantage or you if you don’t kick up a big fuss as you say.
yes i agree 100% agents benefit in anyway. my maid rejected US n we were forced to take a rejected maid from agent as a temp maid …i paid daily rate bcoz my maid doesnt wanna work for us n she is under my permit work for others n paid agent daily rate… agent got 2x $ .. i dun un how can the agent get money from my maid?
Can your maid reject you?
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