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Very specific question....

2287

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 08:20

We are new to Dubai and are looking into the right way for us in dealing with domestic help. We are a European couple, no kids, so we really don't need a full time help. However hiring 2 days via an agency will cost almost as much as sponsoring full time, whereas most of our money will benefit the agency instead of the maid.
So we would be willing to sponsor full time, but let her live outside of our house and come in 2 or 3 times a week tbd. I know that she would not be allowed to work anywhere else, but seeing that she gets paid for a full time job, she wouldn't really have to. Ideally it would be someone whose husband is already here, so she could live with him.
Could anyone please tell me if this is a legally allowed and practically viable option, and if so, any suggestions as how to organize this?

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spongemonkey980

4329

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EW MASTER

Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 22:55

Unfortunately it is, unless you hire her via an agency. And for spongemonkey the update: I have managed to find a full-time lady who lives with her husband, All legit. She seems to be hardworking, trustworthy and happy with the arrangement, Time will tell if she can handle the free time. Inshallah :)

2287

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 26 February 2012 - 22:43

Unfortunately it is, unless you hire her via an agency. And for spongemonkey the update: I have managed to find a full-time lady who lives with her husband, All legit. She seems to be hardworking, trustworthy and happy with the arrangement, Time will tell if she can handle the free time.

433

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EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 26 February 2012 - 16:22

Illegal to share a maid with someone ?

spongemonkey980

4329

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EW MASTER

Latest post on 27 January 2012 - 08:14

It would be interesting to hear your eventual updates about how all of this has gone.

2287

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 25 January 2012 - 08:39

Unfortunately I am able to tell you that my helper has informed me (I talk to her a lot) that she shares a room with more than a dozen other girls and cockroaches intermittently. She never complains but rather under duress tells me about her life with a smile. I am frankly fed up with the lack of compassion, humanity and empathy I experience on a daily basis towards these courageous and self-sacrificing girls and boys who clean up our c@@p on a daily basis. If I can make my helper's life a little less hideous by paying her extra, knowing it wlll end up in her pocket, then I will in the knowledge that what your lot in life is, is purely a random thing. Kathyt, good for you! You are so right, we have been so lucky to have been handed the cards we were handed. Too bad many people seem to take this for granted. But your last post did it for me. No agency! Dubizzie, maybe we can at least find shared accommodation for our helpers (if we are not too far apart). If you want to see if we could make that work, please ring me: zero five five one zero five five two one zero

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 24 January 2012 - 18:56

Hi oopsie, wouldn't it be perfect if we could share?! unfortunately I think you're right and its illegal. I looked into whether it was possible to share a helper if we gave a no-objections letter for the helper to work elsewhere too but I think it's pretty black and white with this stuff. and maids have told me similar stories to kathyt's experience so I really don't want to go on with an agency on a permanent basis -even though once you factor in the visa, healthcare, accomodation costs, flights home etc. of full-time help it works out as slightly cheaper and a lot less hassle. I too am leaning towards the full time option - but we're trying to figure out where the helper will be able to stay as if we bring someone from abroad, chances are they won't know anyone in Dubai to share accomodation with and we don't have room for her to stay at our place even temporarily. we're also going to look for an agency to sort out the visa/medical etc. for the helper on our behalf as we probably won't have time ourselves. Much more complicated a process to what I was expecting!

2287

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 23 January 2012 - 18:35

Hi Dubizzie, I know it's illegal, but we should probably share! How crazy is it that this is not allowed. In our previous location we shared a lovely lady with 3 couples. Full flexibility and available whenever we needed her. She was happy living with her sisters who had the same arrangment, and no money lost to agencies. We would share the cost for the home flights. She was earning good money and payed her own living accomodation, and our costs were very acceptable. Anyway, I still think we'll go for the full-time option because, like I said before, I have a strong feeling the agencies are exploiting the helpers, no matter what others seem to think. I guess that there are a lot of good stories as well, we just do not tend to talk about those. I figure the hassle with the sponsoring is once a year. The costs equal to hiring a lady through an agency (if you do 16 hours a week). Curious to hear what you will be doing.

654

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EW GURU

Latest post on 23 January 2012 - 18:26

Hi katthyt, I checked the website. They mention excellent accommodation etc. for the girls. Do you know this to be true? Does your helper seem happy with her employer? Sorry for all these questions, it is not that I am overly protective or anything like that, I just hate any kind of exploitation. Used to be human rights advisor to a large international Corp., have seen so many terrible things going on, and do not want to partake in any of that! Unfortunately I am able to tell you that my helper has informed me (I talk to her a lot) that she shares a room with more than a dozen other girls and cockroaches intermittently. She never complains but rather under duress tells me about her life with a smile. I am frankly fed up with the lack of compassion, humanity and empathy I experience on a daily basis towards these courageous and self-sacrificing girls and boys who clean up our c@@p on a daily basis. If I can make my helper's life a little less hideous by paying her extra, knowing it wlll end up in her pocket, then I will in the knowledge that what your lot in life is, is purely a random thing.

23

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 23 January 2012 - 17:37

Hi oopsie, I'm in the same position. We're a British couple with no kids and don't really need full-time help, but need some help 3-4 times a week as we both work full time. I've been using agencies for part-time help but haven't had a great experience so far - they tend to send different girls each time (even though I've requested for the same lady) so I have to explain all over again where everything in the house is. They also require you to take a maid for a minimum of 4 hrs at a time (I would prefer 2hrs spread during the week). Also on speaking to them, we realised that the maids keep very little of what we pay so with tips included, it works out expensive. We looked into sponsoring a full time live-out maid as an alternative but found that it's a lot of hassle getting everything sorted - more interestingly though, the maids seem to think we must be hiding some kids or pets somewhere (they can't believe that we're just a couple with not too much housework willing to employ a full time maid!). Have you have any more luck with the full time option?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 23 January 2012 - 13:55

I don't give tips to my agency maid, it just encourages greed - however my DH gets a pack of consumer goods from his company twice a year so we donate most of the stuff out of it, what would be useful to her, and she is so grateful

Al Quwatain51756

535

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 23 January 2012 - 12:38

I would just hire an agency maid, pay her and give her a tip if she has done an excellent job and thats it ... It seems that a lot of people give tips to these maids because they feel they are underpaid or exploited. A few years ago I had one come for a day to help out with my maid and a big job. She was not overly enthusiastic, and I would not have had her again, but when I paid her she then asked for her tip!!! So, it was supposed to be Dh30 per hour and she was expecting a Dh50 tip, as she said that is what her other 'madams' give, minimum. Nevermind that she enjoyed free tea and coffee and my maid served her a Biryani lunch! I would say the other 'madams' are exploiting the rest of us.

2192

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 16:03

Why would you want to go and have a look at a housemaids company staff accomodation ?!!! I would just hire an agency maid, pay her and give her a tip if she has done an excellent job and thats it ...

2287

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 13:36

Thank you K3, I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this. Should I decide to go for an agency, I will go with your suggestion of the tour. See what happens. And true, our definition of excellent living conditions cannot be compared to what most girls are used to in their home countries. <em>edited by Oopsiedaisy on 22/01/2012</em>

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 12:46

Hi katthyt, I checked the website. They mention excellent accommodation etc. for the girls. Do you know this to be true? Does your helper seem happy with her employer? Sorry for all these questions, it is not that I am overly protective or anything like that, I just hate any kind of exploitation. Used to be human rights advisor to a large international Corp., have seen so many terrible things going on, and do not want to partake in any of that! I agree, this is important. I do not know about this agency, but in some cases it's shocking. If this is a deal breaker for you, ask for a tour from the agency. If they do not allow this, ask the maid to describe their living circumstances. They may tell you a shocking story and then add to the end: "This is excellent compared to what I had back home". My live in maid asked to be moved to the teeny tiny (well, it's still 2 rooms) maids quarter because she said our extra bedroom we offered to her was too big for her and she was not used to sleep in a more spacious room.

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Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 12:37

Oopsiedaisy, from your post I recognise myself exactly a year a go! I had the same, and was seriously considering to sponsor a live-out maid! I'm glad I didn't! The whole concept of hiring maids here is very different from Europe - circumstances, legislation and most importantly !! the speficic group of people that is hired as maids here. Looking back, I greatly underestimated the whole Sponsorship aspect in the beginning. The responsibility you actually take for somebody when sponsoring them, and the laws that are very strict towards it all. In Europe, if your live out is in trouble, nobody calls your number. Here they do. Just go for an agency maid or a live in. The agency takes the whole sponsorship responsibility (and headache) on their shoulders and that's probably the reason they are charging these fees.

2287

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 11:25

Hi katthyt, I checked the website. They mention excellent accommodation etc. for the girls. Do you know this to be true? Does your helper seem happy with her employer? Sorry for all these questions, it is not that I am overly protective or anything like that, I just hate any kind of exploitation. Used to be human rights advisor to a large international Corp., have seen so many terrible things going on, and do not want to partake in any of that!

654

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 10:47

I have lovely helper, who I trust, twice a week for four hours. She is from maids.ae and they charge 35 per hour for minimum of four hours. To help make up for her low wages I give her a set amount over the 140 every week. Beware there is also an agency called maid.ae who pay their girls even less.

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Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 10:05

HI Oopsie - no problem - happy to help. You can find some wonderful maids and thankfully I have just sponsored someone who I trust completely and who is lovely in every way - I too found the whole keeping tabs on them very difficult to get my head around when I arrived a year ago but ended up with a nasty situation because I offered too much freedom. I think if you're willing to sponsor and pay fulltime - get them in full time, and perhaps get them to cook, run errands, manage your house - on a day to day basis - you will be surprised how much you can find for them to do day by day.

225

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 10:04

Oopsiedaisy, I am sure there are good reliable helpers here! We probalby do not post about them often. My agency helper was a gem! We wanted to sponsor her when I got pregnant, but she did not have experience with newborns and was honest about. I am still in touch with her. She lended herself a shop assistant job and I am super happy for her! Our current helper is a real gem. I raved about her already as I feel really blessed. She is trustowrthy, reliable and fab with kids. When we interviewed except of standard set of questions, we also looked for a chemistry between us and a helper. It was a long process, but well worth the time. Good luck!

2192

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 10:01

Would second the advice about going with an agency. Idle hands are not a good thing when it comes to maids. Whereas most of us might think that they would be grateful for the good deal you're considering - this arrangement sounds to me like a recipe for sly part time work on the side, and you being at risk of a 50K fine or anxiety and suspicion. Due to the responsibility you shoulder when sponsoring, you kind of need to know where your maid is most of the time and what she's up to. I'm afraid many maids will exploit the kindness you show and feel no need to pay it back in loyalty and staying on the right side of the law. I say this from bitter experience. edited by excited2Bexpat on 22/01/2012 good advice :)

2287

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 09:57

Thanks mushypeas and exited, your point is well taken. I guess I have just been sooo lucky with our part time help in previous location, that I am a bit naive? I really don't get all this negativity on maids on the forum here. But I learn from it, so thanks for your advice.

28

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 09:49

Would second the advice about going with an agency. Idle hands are not a good thing when it comes to maids. Whereas most of us might think that they would be grateful for the good deal you're considering - this arrangement sounds to me like a recipe for sly part time work on the side, and you being at risk of a 50K fine or anxiety and suspicion. Due to the responsibility you shoulder when sponsoring, you kind of need to know where your maid is most of the time and what she's up to. I'm afraid many maids will exploit the kindness you show and feel no need to pay it back in loyalty and staying on the right side of the law. I say this from bitter experience. <em>edited by excited2Bexpat on 22/01/2012</em>

2192

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 08:53

I would look at getting somone a couple of hours a week from Maids.ae or Molly maid. it will cost you around 35 aed per hour. sponosring a housemaid is an expensive business ( having done this myself ) and I wouldnt bother with all the time and money if you just want somone for a couple of days each week. How would you monitor the situation with her working somonewhere else ? Is she gets caught you could be fined upto 50,000.

2287

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 08:44

Thanks Joanna, that is precisely my worry, the way agencies seem to treat these girls/ladies. And I see the temptation of looking for other work, therefor I was thinking that having the spouse here, as opposed to overseas, would at least allow them to have a family live and thus keep busy. Don't know, maybe a long shot, but I thought let's try find out what all you experts think about it.

225

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 January 2012 - 08:28

Welcome to Dubai! To sponosor a live-out helper is legal. Although live-out arrangements are usually more expensive than live-in, as sponsor is expected to off set cost of acommodation and transportation. You probably could be paying less as she would not be working a full week, but I think it will be tempting for the helper to search for another part time job, while on your visa. Hmmm.. not ideal. If you need someone for only 2-3 times a week, than I do not think helper employed through agency will cost you more. In the past I had a cleaning lady employed through the agency and was very happy with her. Will not recommend the agency as they treated their employees really bad, but I am sure you can find a reputable one. HTH

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