Maid says her employer becomes 'unhappy' whenever she eats their food

Independent Singapore

7 hours ago

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper recently shared on social media that her employer 'becomes unhappy' whenever she eats their food.
In a post shared on Friday (Aug 1) in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group, the helper said that she never helps herself to their food unless she is explicitly told that she may do so.
'I never touch the food when they never say I can eat,' she wrote. 'If they say, 'can eat,' then I eat. But when I eat, they're not happy.'
The helper, who resides and works full-time in her employer's household, said the mixed messages left her feeling confused and demoralised. When she raised the issue with her employment agency, hoping for some support, she was instead advised to 'just buy [her] own groceries.'
She questioned whether such expectations were fair. 'Is it correct for a maid to have to buy her own food while working [full-time] for her employers?'
She also urged both employers and agencies to treat domestic helpers with more respect and understanding.
'Please, agencies and employers, respect your maid,' she wrote. 'We are also human. [Don't] just pay them; respect them too.'
In a pointed remark to the agency that deployed her to Singapore, she added, 'You need to take care of your helper, as you brought her to Singapore. Not only defend the employer, please listen to our complaints at the employer's house instead of judging.' 'If feasible, buying your own groceries might be a better option.'
Her post quickly gained traction online, sparking a wave of responses from fellow domestic workers and concerned Singaporeans.
One commenter claimed that support from agencies often ends once the placement is completed. 'Agencies are like that—once they hand over the helper and collect payment from the employer, they don't care about you anymore. Sad but true.'
Another reflected on the challenges many helpers face when it comes to food, writing:
'Helpers often struggle with food, and it's really tough when employers don't provide enough or respect our needs. Basic meals like eggs and rice are budget-friendly and can be a good option. Noodles and biscuits are alternatives, but moderation is key to staying healthy,' they wrote.
'If feasible, buying your own groceries might be a better option, but it's not always easy. Hopefully, you'll find an employer who cares about your needs when your contract is over.'
A third shared, 'I heard from my previous helper that she's not allowed to eat what the current employer cooks. While in my house, she ate the same food as the family.
Feeding one more person the same meal isn't going to cost a bomb.'
In Singapore, domestic helpers are typically entitled to three meals a day under the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) guidelines. This is meant to ensure they receive adequate nutrition to support the physically demanding tasks they carry out each day.
However, some employers believe that certain helpers may be taking advantage of this arrangement or expecting too much.
One employer, commenting under the post, said that helpers today are becoming 'too demanding.'
She explained that she allowed her helper to cook whatever she wanted and bought her biscuits, tea or coffee, bread, and spread, and even provided 5 kg of rice along with her own rice cooker. Despite all that, the helper still complained when she refused to pay for the fruit the helper wanted.
'I only asked her to pay for her own fruits. So if she wants durian, the employer has to pay for her?' the employer wrote. 'As a helper, don't be so wasteful and take advantage of your employer. You can easily be replaced. As a result, I sent her home after working for 16 days.'
In another case, another employer took to social media last week to complain about her helper, who allegedly eats over five meals a day.
'She takes evening tea and snacks (that makes four meals). Slowly, she started having a fifth meal between breakfast and lunch. I didn't get into trivial matters, so I didn't say anything,' the employer explained in her post.
Read more: Maid eats over 5 meals a day: Employer complains, 'My maid can't stop eating until she overstretched my monthly food budget by 1.5 times'