The Shahnaz Show1

THE SHAHNAZ SHOW
HOST -Shahnaz
MAID- Mee Bing
EMPLOYER- Zhouyue
MAID AGENCIES- Jemina
PUBLIC- Chi Yan
The whole presentation has to be around 5-10 minutes.
Everyone has to talk for at least one minute.
Monday 25/02/2013 1900- Sending out Questions
Wednesday 27/02/2013 1700- Answers
Wednesday 27/02/2013 2000 Consolidated script is sent to everyone
Friday 01/03/2013 1050-1120- First Rehearsal
(Monday 04/03/2013 1230-1300 TBC on Friday)
Tuesday 05/03/2013 1050-1120- Second Rehearsal

EMAIL:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
For everyone:
Why do you think maids and maid agencies and government are prompting people to give or give more off days
for maids when there are arising problems?

Maid agency:
What are your views on giving off days to maids?
I feel that giving maids a one weekly day rest period is a basic right. I mean, you probably wouldnt want to work
seven days a week, would you? This helps to ensure that they have a proper emotional and mental break. By
helping them, you are helping yourself. How is this so? When you, as the owner improve your domestic workers
well-being, the quality of care and dedication your family receives is increased. You would also be better able to
retain them, especially if she is a very experienced maid.

What are the pros and cons you have experienced?
Majority of our customers who have differing views from us. This may be because this has been the practice all
along and employers might be unwilling to relent. Thus it may take some time for mindsets to change. That
being said, we do have prospective employers who are thinking of not giving any rest day in the first 4 months.
They view these periods as a probation period to gauge performance and to ensure that the maids can be
trusted not to fall into bad company. I feel that this is reasonable as maids would still be unfamiliar with
Singapore and would not have much money to spend, thus they could earn more by working on their rest days
during this period of time.

Employer:
How many maids have you had since you married?
(Preferably, 5 and you are 45 yrs of age)
How many off days have you given to the older (meaning the first two) maids?
Where there less complaints previously when there were lesser off days?
What are the complications of giving too many off-days and what are the benefits?

Maid:
Why do you think day offs are important to your life?
How many day offs per month is preferably suitable for all maids/ you?
On which side are you on?
Your experience on off-days

Public:
What are some of the views from your peers about maid demanding more off days?
What pros and cons are there on giving more off days?
Which side to you support? And why?

*I have copied channelnewsasia script which shows an important thing. PLS read.
Its about the implementation of the new off day thing.

Published on Apr 6, 2012
SINGAPORE: Maid agencies are calling for clearer guidelines on the mandatory day off for foreign domestic
workers (FDWs) to ensure a smooth introduction of the new law next year.

Some would like more clarity on the definition of a rest day.

Also, maid agencies believe a mediation mechanism should be put in place when disputes arise.

Myrna Gamba Yumo spends her weekly rest day attending training classes.

The 33-year-old Filipino gets about 12 hours off during her rest day.

Myrna Gamba Yumo said: "Each time I wake up in the morning I don't need to do anything because it's time for me
to really have a rest and do whatever I want to do. If I'm going home already, I don't need to do any job because
it's still part of my day off. They (employers) have already specified that I don't (have) to do any work except for
me to have a rest so that I have enough energy to do my job the following day."

Under the new regulation, employers and their maids will be given the flexibility to mutually agree on which day of
the week the rest day falls on.

However, maid agencies feel more clarity is needed.

Tay Khoon Beng, director, Best Home Employment Agency, said: "If the domestic helper follows the employer on
weekends for a picnic for the whole day, is that considered a rest? So, these guidelines must be provided to us so
that we can explain to the helpers the definition of rest."

The new law is also silent on how many hours make up a maid's rest day.

Jeremy Khoo, executive director, ACMI, said: "Different people have different understanding of how many hours is
required. From our experience, from the current domestic workers who get their weekly day off or monthly day
off, usually is between eight to 10 hours a day. So, they usually go out at about 8 or 9 am and have to go back
home at 5pm. It will good for MOM (Ministry of Manpower) to have a very clear set of guidelines so that there's no
unhappiness among both parties."

Mr Tay believes that some benchmark will help them be better prepared.

He said: "I think anyone will come to us and ask this question, how many hours should I ask from my mum
(employer) for my rest day. This question, surely they will ask and we need to be very prepared to tell them."

Besides a clearer definition of a rest day, employment agencies also would like guidelines on how to deal with
disputes. They say a mediation mechanism needs to be put in place involving the agencies.

Gary Chin, managing director, Nation Employment, said: "The industry is looking for a dispute resolution (process).
Initially, when the employers and FDWs have agreements, to sell-off their off days, maybe, two days or all. But,
after some time both parties may have a change of ideas. The maid might want to withdraw the original
agreement, she would like to have the off day. So, disputes will happen. So, we'd like to know clear indications
from authorities, who should we turn to, who should the employers or the maids turn to for mediation. In the new
regulations, it's stated that we are not suppose to interfere."

Even though maid agencies wants some guidelines on what a rest day means, they agree that flexibility is also
needed when employers and maids negotiate. This is important in order to maintain a harmonious relationship
between them.

In addition, maid agencies said starting next year, they will be more strict in their selection criteria of foreign
domestic workers.

This is to ensure only those who are serious about working in Singapore are brought in.

They hope this will help allay employers concerns about the social implications of the new law.

Key findings revealed that maids work an average of 14 hours per day and only 12 per cent have at least one day
off per week.
Employers who give their maids a day off tend to couch it in terms of employment rights, while those who do not
give their maids a day off express the fear that the maid may fall into bad company.
However, over 70 per cent of the respondents who do not employ a maid shared the view that they should be
given a weekly day off.

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