Monday, May 28, 2012

Maid Issues (5)

I have been missing for a while due to maids' issues!

One of maid was supposed to go back after the 2 years contract to attend her daughter's graduation. I have bought the first set of ticket based on the date as advised by her. Then, she said the graduation has been brought forward. I have to buy another set of ticket and told her that I will charge her for that. On 27th April, she missed her flight due to miscommunication with the taxi driver. We were really mad with the poor communication skill and only informed us when it was closed to the departure time and in actual fact, the taxi was early and waited for her outside the condominium. We thought we will sort out the fee/back charges later and bought her another set of ticket on 30th April. I am wondering whether the God is trying to test mine or her patient. Both of us misinterpreted the time and as a result of that she missed her flight again. I just wanted to get on with it and move on to enjoy the first public holiday break the next day, so I bought another ticket and she managed to leave on the same day in the evening.

With her 2 weeks off, I was supposed to have a back-up maid. The back-up maid came for a trial a day prior to my maid leaving for Philippines and decided not to turn up the next day without inform us. I have no choice but to make plan to go to work 1 hour late in order to get the kids ready for their school and come home from work 1 hour early to help up with the cooking and looking after the kids.

The maid supposed to come back on 14th May and on 13th May, she sms me that she was not able to come back as her 18 years old daughter is pregnant. She has to stay and take care of her. At that time, I was calm and decided that we have to move forward without her but was upset with the total loss I suffered on her 4 sets of air ticket, her just renewed work permit. 

For those with maid, this is an important procedure you need to know. If a maid run away or does not come back to work. The only way forward is to cancel her permit by lodging a police report and you have to pay a fine of RM750 (for Filipino, RM250 for Indonesian and Cambodian). If you cancel her permit, of course there will be no fine. The maid has agreed that she will post her passport back to me and I can cancel the permit accordingly. So I can avoid the fine and she can avoid being blacklisted by our government.

With the above episode ended. I offered my the other maid an increment and I still work on my adjusted hour basis. Things go well but I help up my in house chores and kids and I notice a big improvement of my kids behaviour. They are more helpful and not so pampered!  After a week, the maid told me that her husband wants her back by November upon expiry of her 3rd year contract. I have a long chat with her and she confirmed she wants to go back.

My headache starts all over again. I am not willing to fork out another 10K to hire another maid. Live in/out part time maid or chinese nanny is my option.

One of my blog follower suggested advertise in www.olx.com. While I was browsing the website, I found this filipino girl looking for job as her expat employer has to leave the country. I met up and interviewed her and really like her. At the same time, she is attending to few interviews too and some are willing to offer her higher price. I was really hoping she would choose me.

Then, come last week, the maid now said she wants to continue working but wanted to go back for 2 weeks in November and the new maid has made up her mind and willing to come work with us. Now I am struggling to make decision between the old and new maids.

Old maid:

  • will she return if I let her go
  • People always said old is better than new. Is it truth? Better the devil you know?
  • She almost has no money left, she send most of her money back home each month as the family is struggling so I have nothing to hold back.


New maid:

  • Is she going to be good, good enough for my children?
  • is my children going to like her?
  • Is this unfair to my children since they get on so well with my current maid?


Tonnes of questions in my mind but most office colleagues and friends voted for the new maid. In order to give it a go, I have suggested the new maid to come over on Sundays to spend some time with us and the kids and will decide from there.

What do you think OLD or NEW?