Endoh’s Dungeon

I have long wanted to write about how more and more Singaporeans are depending more on maids than themselves. While that idea didn’t really materialize, a news article caught my attention. In which, two NGOs are proposing to extend maternity coverage to maids under the Employment Act. I wasn’t quite sure how to react when I first read it. Either we are trying to show the humane side of us, or we are simply courting for trouble.

I am sure all of us have, at some point, heard stories of how maids impregnanted themselves while on the job in Singapore. Let’s not forget, many of them (if not for abortion) will end up as single unmarried mums. Hence, private clinics like those you find in Far East Plaza or neighbourhoods provide the ultimate solution - abortion. For those who chose to keep their babies (the figure is still relatively low), that implied the end of their contracts and face immediate deportation.

How many Singapore employers are willing to go through this process? Let me guess, none. In fact, there are no reasons why employers have to put up with these circumstances which are not related to the maids’ employment in any manner. If such a policy is implemented, we’ll probably find more maids getting pregnant since they have an added avenue to substain their pregnancies. By fully exploiting the perks, that is.

How are Singapore families going to cope with the absence of their maids due to maternity leave? Especially for families with sickly aged folks and young children, how can they get by with life when the maid has to absent herself regularly for check-ups? Will we not be slightly worried that chores will still have to be carried out by a… expecting woman?

Let’s not forget too, that medical benefits for non-citizens were decreased a short while ago. Meaning to say, maids will have to fork out more cash to substain their pregnancies if they are allowed to stay on in Singapore with their work permits. With the average salaries of maids, can they afford it? What if the man who impregnanted her is unwilling to be responsible for it, and the maid choose to keep the baby nonetheless? Can they really afford it? If they can’t, will Singapore employers be mandated to pay for the expenditures?

The variables certainly don’t paint a very sweet picture if such the Employment Act is indeed tweaked. I am certain that the last thing Singapore employers want is opening up the doorway that may lead to pre-marital pregnancies. Last but not least, having to provide for the maid’s maternity needs at the same time. More like a case of employer-turn-caretaker. It just doesn’t make sense.

Yet, another part of me questions why maids cannot carry on with their normal lives? By my definition of “a normal life”, I meant the process of enjoying motherhood just like Singapore women. You’d see, we have been implementing laws to protect expecting mums from unfair treatments by companies. Expecting women are more or less guaranteed for their jobs as long as they meet the minimum requirements under the Employment Act. Are maids any different from Singapore women in other professions? Are they not humans too? Do they not deserve starting a small family too? If employment is secured for expecting mums in other professions, why not maids?

It seems like legalized slavery when maids are denied their maternity perks. Is that few hundred dollars a month sufficient to “sell their souls” to the point that they cannot enjoy life in the same way like the complete families they serve? A little biased, I must say.

Take my auntie’s (my mum’s childhood friend) maid for example, she worked for my auntie’s family for more than 10 years before she eventually married her current American husband. She’s now happily living in California, but her only regret was, she didn’t marry him any earlier. She revealed during her trips back to Singapore when visiting us, she had longed for a marriage with kids since her 7th year. She can’t, because of her work committment as a maid. Sidetracking a little, yes she does visit my family as well, since both families are very close. Nowadays, she’s more like a lifelong family friend than ex-maid.

Back to the topic, sometimes I feel bad whenever I think of how she had given up her most precious times of her life to serve her employer. At an age when average Singapore women are looking to get married. At an age when average Singapore women are wanting to have a baby without high risks. And here we are, looking at a maid who delivered her first baby only at age 37.

So why are they deprived? Or rather, why should they be deprived? I really couldn’t find a good reason to justify if being a maid automatically means you have sold your life to the employer.

Off-hand, I can’t think of a good solution. I feel this is a very difficult decision to make, whether we should extend these perks to maids. There are very complex factors that need to be examined very thoroughly. For example;

1. Maids are only allowed to carry a baby with her legal spouse. Maids who are single or not legally married are not entitled to the perks.

2. Maids’ pregnancies should not hinder their professional obligations heavily. How? It’s a tough thing, honestly.

3. Singapore employers should not be held responsible for any financial obligations.

4. If maids are allowed to be pregnant, the guarantee/security should be lowered since we are looking at constant replacement of maid when the initial leaves.

5. More? Feel free to share in the comment box below.

What’s your take then? Do you think it’s reasonable to extend maternity perks to maids? Will providing these perks lead to a situation that we cannot handle? For example; higher abortion rates, higher pregnancies out of wedlocks?