Can an employer return the FDW to Maid Agency at any time?

Can an employer return the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) to the maid agency at any time?

Employer B: Can an employer return the FDW to the maid agency? If not, what can I do?

Answer:

In a notification to all licensed agencies dated 30 December 1992, The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reminded all licensed agencies that (a) They should not accept FDWs returned to the agencies by the current employers for deployment to other employers. (b) They have no reason to house the FDWs. The FDW must stay with the employer at the address stated in her Work Permit Card.

We will recommend the most practical and feasible approach to the employers as below:

A. If the employer requested for the replacement of the FDW, the employer should give a letter of authorization to the agency to get a new employer for the FDW. The FDW can stay temporarily in the employer's house. After completion of the documents and collection of the new work permit card, the FDW can be transferred to the new employer under the arrangement of the agency. It is beneficial both the employer and FDW.

B. FDWs are also human beings. The employer should not return the sick FDW to the agency. If the FDW is sick, the employer should send the maid to see doctor for treatment and submit the claim to the insurance companies after the FDW has recovered. (The medical insurance scheme for FDWs is effective from 1st January 2008).

C. If the FDW decided to go back to her country of origin, the employer s responsible to cancel the Work Permit and to repatriate the FDW to her country of origin.
Finally, below are some articles in the newspapers on "How to deal with FDWs" for your reference.

1) If the FDW is OK, continue with the employment.
2) if the FDW is very good, the employer can give the FDW some awards or increase her salary to encourage her to continue the employment .
3) If the FDW is not suitable for some certain employers, consider to change the employer for her.
4) If the FDW is really not suitable for working as a domestic worker, do not hesitate to send her back to the agency or her country of origin.

Finally, get along with FDW. The most important thing is understand and respect each other.