Maids to get one day off, govt to make surprise checks

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The following article was written by Zalinah Noordin and was published in The Star on Wednesday 17th June;

PETALING JAYA: It would soon be compulsory for foreign maids to be given one rest day in a week, to be determined between the employer and the domestic servant as part of the compulsory employment contract, the Human Resources Ministry has decided.

Its minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said that the Labour Department was currently drafting a standard employment contract for foreign maids to be used by prospective employers.

The standard contract, he said, would be furnished to the Immigration Department, which would have to verify adherence to its terms before approving any application for or renewal of visas for foreign maids.

The Labour Department will share with Immigration information on existing employers employing foreign maids.

The proposed move is part of measures which would be taken to improve the management of the employment of domestic servants and foreign domestic servants, Subramaniam said.

He said that the measures were necessary to handle the flood of exploitation and abuse cases involving foreign domestic servants.

“We have come up with measures to improve the foreign workers employment scenario in Malaysia.

These measures would be implemented “as soon as they have been approved by the Attorney-General within this year,” Subramaniam told reporters at a press conference after the ministry’s closed-door meeting with companies that employ foreign domestic servants at Wisma Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad here on Tuesday.

Also at the meeting was the director-general of the Manpower Department of the Human Resources Ministry, Romli Hassan.

Surprise checks
The Labour Department will also make random enforcement visits to places where foreign maids are employed to check on their welfare and to ensure that all rules and terms of employment were adhered to.

The enforcement teams would include female officers, and this exercise will begin immediately, Subramaniam said.

“During the visits, if maids are found working other than where they are supposed to be employed, corrective action will be taken.

“This would include reporting to Immigration to take appropriate action against these employers, including withdrawing their permits,” he added.

Employers wishing to employ foreign maids must also furnish Immigration with a contract of employment which contains terms and conditions of services relating to wages, rest days and insurance coverage.

Subramaniam said that currently about 231,355 foreign maids reside and work in Malaysia.