How to help maid that works for horrible family?

Hi Cocoalarab: If you are looking for a maid please use our classifieds section. You can refer to the classified and post the link on the forum. Forum rules prohibit advertising. http://www.expatwoman.com/dubai/monthly_classifieds.aspx

I am working with a family that has had a filipina maid for the past 5 years. She is a very friendly and helpful lady that is very loving with the family's children and the villa is always spotless when I am there. Many times have I heard the parents speak to the maid in a very bad tone, I have seen her cry a lot. Sometimes when I leave she follows me and has a little cry, telling me she hasn't had a day off in the past years, which I believe since I have visited the family on every weekday to find the maid working. She gets 900aed a month and no time off. Last month she told me that one of the children had lost their mobile phone at school and the family maid the maid pay for a new one coz they blamed her for the loss. So she already was without her 900aed for a whole month. Last week she told me she had given the mother cash to pay for grocery shopping since the mother had forgotten her wallet. When the maid asked for the cash back the mum denied she had bowwored money and did not give it back which was another 400 odd aed from the maid's little salary lost. She has now begged me to help her find a new family since she never gets time off and has no access to internet. I don't know how things will work to transfer her visa etc. She is very scared she will be sent to the Philippines and cannot return. What can I do? Or does anyone need a maid? If yes pls email me to mmmaren (atyahoodotcom) and I will give you her number. She can only answer during morning hours I assume when the kids are at school and the parents at work. Any help appreciated. Hi im looking for a fulltime live in maide , will give her 2000 dirhamz per month t.v internet and day iff every friday, we are a family of 3 , please let me know Thanks

She need to help her self ! She can resign ( she works for more then 5 years with the family) and apply somewere else Hong Kong for example ...

Poor OP, she comes on here for advice, trying to help another human being whom she sees being treated badly and she gets jumped on. Maybe she would love to tell this woman to stuff her job on principal but not everyone has that luxury to just throw a job away, especially in the current climate, and maybe she is doing as much as she can... Good luck Helma, I hope you manage to help this lady, and if you can't, at least you tried. Well said Cheeky Monkey . . . Not everyone can just quit their job !!! I have helped a few Filipinas who were badly treated and it is so sad that people can treat another human being in this way. Depending on where you live you can get Security/Police involved or perhaps just try and get her released but of course thats not easy for her if her employers want to be difficult just for the sake of it !! AS far as the ban goes do they still do this ? I am not so sure they do now but I may be wrong ... <em>edited by Lakes Lucy on 03/10/2011</em>

Saudi recently banned filipina workers on the basis of the Philippines government breaching privacy with their over the top enquiries of everyday households. I agree with this. Have you seen the form employers are to fill out when maids leave the country for hols - just so they can return? It's ridiculous. i would not hand over that info to my own government!!!! Their own government CHARGES them to return to a country in which they are legally entitled to work.....who is conning whom?????? e. Ohh the poor employers! In other news a maid whose employer burnt her and tortured her in Saudi Arabia was acquited after initially being sentenced to 3 yrs in jail for "lack of proof". And the saudis didnt "ban" Philipino maids because of information being asked.... <em>edited by Arch on 03/10/2011</em>

Nope...they won't run out of countries 'soon'. There are too many to name..... The Philippines will not ban their workers coming here. They keep threatening it...but have never done it! Saudi banned them...not the other way round....the money/remittances is/are too easy for them to turn their back on...watch this space! They wont run out of countries, but employers simply will not hire maids from many countries that can supply them because of vast cultural differences and other issues . From what i know, women from most countries are way more assertive than Filipinas and may lash out in unpredictable and violent ways if subjected to abusive behavior . Would you really want a Nigerian or Mongolian maid ? <em>edited by Arch on 03/10/2011</em>

All I know is, as a working mum, my helper has more rights than me here. . Are you joking ?

&gt; Taken from: http://www.dubaifaqs.com/visa-maid-uae.php &gt; &gt; *Expat deposit for maids has been reduced from AED 5000 to AED 2000 but is not refundable until after the domestic worker leaves the UAE, according to a report in the Gulf News, which quoted a senior unnamed UAE Ministry of Interior official as saying "The deposit has been lowered by Dh3,000 to only Dh2,000"* &gt; Families living in Dubai UAE can sponsor a maid or nanny. Bachelors cannot. There are criteria and restrictions that apply. Note that this information is for Dubai but should be similar for Abu Dhabi and other UAE emirates. Check with the UAE immigration department of the emirate in which you live for the latest rules and procedure. In Dubai, visit the Dubai Naturalization and Residence Department (DNRD). &gt; • Minimum salary requirement for the sponsor (usually the male head of the family) must be AED 6000 per month, or AED 5000 per month if accommodation is supplied by the company, for them to sponsor a housemaid (there was a proposal by the FNC to increase the minimum salary requirement to AED 15,000 reported in December 2008). &gt; • Bachelors are not able to sponsor a maid. Women with children who don't have a husband in the UAE might be able to sponsor a maid or nanny. &gt; • The maid must be a national of one of these countries: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka. &gt; • Each country may have certain restrictions on employing their nationals as maids, for example minimum salary, minimum or maximum age. You will need to check with the embassy or consulate of that country for the details. Most minimum salary requirements are over AED 1000 per month. &gt; • If you live, work, and have a residence visa in different emirates, go to the immigration department that issued you your residence visa. If you live in a different emirate, you could try the immigration department of that emirate. &gt; • There is a standardized or unified labour contract ("employment agreement") for maids and other domestic workers, and their sponsors as of 01 April 2007, which is issued by the immigration or residence department at the time of visa application. This contract specifies vacation time, airline tickets, and other details of employment. &gt; • Maids that are the same nationality as the sponsor need special approval from the DNRD in Dubai, and you will need a document from your embassy/consulate to prove that the maid is not related to you. &gt; • More than one maid per family is possible but will depend on salary and size of family. Approval is at the whim ... er discretion of the immigration department. &gt; To sponsor a house maid, you will need to have a UAE residency visa (this is not the same as an employment visa or work permit). Once you arrive for the first time in the UAE, allow at least a month before your own residence visa is issued. That varies substantially and depends mostly on how efficient your company is at processing the paperwork. Some companies delay the process by several months. &gt; Arranging maid sponsorship is a two step procedure. First you need to obtain an entry permit / employment visa so she can enter the UAE. Then you need to apply for a UAE residence visa for the maid. The DNRD will issue a residence visa, labour card, and labour contract for the maid. &gt; A similar procedure applies for sponsorship of other domestic helpers, workers, and servants e.g. a houseboy / house boy. &gt; Documents required for UAE maid residence visa &gt; Not all of these documents will be needed for the entry visa but bring them just in case &gt; 1. Your own salary certificate and labour contract. &gt; 2. Your tenancy agreement. &gt; 3. Your passport (and a copy). &gt; 4. Copy of the maid's passport (and original passport with entry permit after arrival in the UAE). &gt; 5. Passport photos of the maid (4 should be enough but bring a few extra). &gt; 6. If you (the sponsor) and the maid are the same nationality, then you will need an affadavit from your embassy or consulate to certify you are not related to the maid. &gt; 7. AED 5000 deposit for entry visa. Changed to AED 2000 for expat sponsors according to a Gulf News report 19 November 2009 (unconfirmed). Deposit of AED 2000 required from Emirati sponsors remains unchanged. &gt; 8. AED 5100 for residence visa (annual cost). &gt; 9. AED 300-400 for health card (annual cost). &gt; 10. AED 500 for other fees (approximately). Add AED 100 here and there for urgent processing. &gt; UAE entry visa application for maid or nanny &gt; 1. Go to the DNRD in Dubai (near the Trade Center roundabout), or immigration department of the emirate which issued you your residence visa, and find an authorized typist to fill in the application form. Allow about AED 150 dhs for form and typing fees, add 100 dhs if you want to make an urgent application. &gt; 2. Submit the documents at the immigration department along with a deposit of AED 5000. If you've paid the urgent fee, the entry visa should be processed while you wait, otherwise it may take a few days. &gt; 3. Send the visa or a copy to the maid so she can present it at the departure airport (if she doesn't, the airline may not allow her to board the flight). &gt; 4. If you send the copy, then you need to leave the original at Dubai airport (or Abu Dhabi airport or other arrival airport) at least a couple of hours before she arrives. She will need it to clear immigration procedures. In Dubai, there is a DNATA visa desk at the airport. You may also be able to leave it at the DNRD or one of the other DNATA offices (Sheikh Zayed Road near Safa Park interchange, or Deira). &gt; UAE residence visa procedure for maid or nanny &gt; 1. Once your maid arrives in the UAE, she will have a 30 day visa within which time you will need to obtain her residence visa and labour card / work permit. &gt; 2. Go to a typist at the immigration department (DNRD in Dubai), pay fees, take the typed form to the relevant counter at the immigration department (the typist will tell you where to go) to get a stamp. &gt; 3. Go to a government hospital with your maid and documents for a medical test and health card application. You can also do this at the Iranian Hospital on Al Wasl Road in Dubai. Results of test and issue of card will take a few days (quicker and more expensive at the Iranian Hospital). &gt; 4. Go back to the DNRD or immigration department with health card, medical test results, and other documents. Don't forget the maid's original passport with entry permit. Bring the maid too. &gt; 5. The DNRD should ask you what salary you are going to pay your maid, the amount will be entered by them into a labour contract, copies of which need to be signed by you and the maid (which is why you should bring her). &gt; 6. Go round in circles a few time to buy stickers, get documents stamped, and stand in queues. &gt; 7. Eventually you should end up back at a counter where everything is "halas" (finished). The maid's passport will get a residence visa stamped in it, you and her will get copies of the labour contract, she will get a labour card, and you can go home and rest while she cooks dinner. You may not get all documents immediately in which case you'll have to return for collection (this is where payment of an urgent processing fee should have made a difference). &gt; 8. Collect your AED 5000 deposit at the "Deposit Refund" counter (ask the immigration official where to go). Deposit not refunded not until maid leaves the UAE according to 19 November 2009 Gulf News report. &gt; Renewal of UAE maid visa (needs to be done annually) &gt; 1. Go to an official typist at the DNRD or UAE immigration department. &gt; 2. Pay renewal fees of about AED 5100 and receive renewal application form and medical forum. Add AED 100 if you want urgent processing. &gt; 3. Go to government hospital (or Iranian Hospital) for medical tests. Pay fees of about AED 300-400 dhs. Test results should take a day or two. &gt; 4. Go back to DNRD or immigration department with maid and all relevant documents. Sign new labour contract and receive new visa and labour card (while you wait if you paid urgent processing fees, after a few days if not, or it will be sent to you). &gt; [u'>Cancel maid visa in Dubai / UAE [/u'>&gt; 1. Go to DNRD / immigration department typist and ask for visa cancellation form to be filled out. You will need a copy of maid's passport (or original), and a one way ticket for the maid back to her home country. Bring your own passport and copy, and maid's labour card also. &gt; 2. Take maid, her passport and labour card, your passport, and visa cancellation form to airport on departure day (arrive at least 3 hours before departure time, or more if check in counter opens more than 3 hours before departure - for Emirates flights you can check in 8 hours before flight departure) &gt; 3. Check in maid and obtain boarding pass. &gt; 4. Go to the airport immigration counter with maid, boarding pass, labour card, and passport to cancel visa. They will keep labour card and may want to see your passport. &gt; 5. Say goodbye to maid, then go home and wash your own dishes until you find a new housemaid. Each country may have certain restrictions on employing their nationals as maids, for example minimum salary, minimum or maximum age. You will need to check with the embassy or consulate of that country for the details. Most minimum salary requirements are over AED 1000 per month. <em>edited by bbcb on 02/10/2011</em>

Apparently Saudi are really struggling with shortage of maids now and they are urging for more flights to be operated between Ethiopia and Saudi to fly the required number of Ethiopian maids as they can't employ phillipinos or indonesians. The ME needs to really take domestic workers rights very seriously or else soon they would run out of countries to import maids from as another poster pointed below. Ethiopia has already banned it's citzens from working as maids in Lebanon and nothing will stop them from banning them from most other ME countries unless these countries change their policies towards domestic helpers rights.

All I know is, as a working mum, my helper has more rights than me here. I am not complaining. I accept it has to do with the country in which I work. Basta. I know for sure my helper has more rights/salary/protection etc. than in her own country. I know I don't have the equivalent of my own country......people need to see the big picture.

Hi OP, I once heard that the minimum salary for Philippines national maids is something like 1400. So really surprised to hear that she accepted the 900 aed the family offered her. Also, why can't she just resign? Sorry might be a very naive question but I have a maid myself and always thought she has the right to resign if she chooses to change jobs or go back home. The rules here really confuse me!

Nope...they won't run out of countries 'soon'. There are too many to name..... The Philippines will not ban their workers coming here. They keep threatening it...but have never done it! Saudi banned them...not the other way round....the money/remittances is/are too easy for them to turn their back on...watch this space! er I never said Saudi didn't ban them! I don't know, will have to wait and see, but it'll be interesting to see what happens if they do, maybe other countries will have the guts to do the same. It only takes a couple to implement change. Plus the big thing for me is why SHOULDN'T workers have rights and protection? There's something very wrong with those who think it's ok for some to be treated so badly in certain cases. <em>edited by Chocs01 on 02/10/2011</em>

Nope...they won't run out of countries 'soon'. There are too many to name..... The Philippines will not ban their workers coming here. They keep threatening it...but have never done it! Saudi banned them...not the other way round....the money/remittances is/are too easy for them to turn their back on...watch this space!

But you soon run out of countries where the residents will work for such little money. What can you do? They've made their decision for better or for worse.

They choose to allow that % of their GDP to continue to come from those sources. The Philippines is one of the most corrupt countries in the world...do you think they really care about their foreign workers????? The Philippines government has stipulated a minimum wage for its foreign domestic workers (which is the minimum they are willing to pay for professor level in their own country) - so according to them, not slave labour. And many pay more than than the minimum. Saudi recently banned filipina workers on the basis of the Philippines government breaching privacy with their over the top enquiries of everyday households. I agree with this. Have you seen the form employers are to fill out when maids leave the country for hols - just so they can return? It's ridiculous. i would not hand over that info to my own government!!!! Their own government CHARGES them to return to a country in which they are legally entitled to work.....who is conning whom?????? The Middle East will just source workers from other countries. No wake up call. Just lower labour costs and less hassle.

10% of Philippines GDP is made up of remittances....the majority of which comes from the Middle East......that would be cutting off your nose to spite your face...don't ya think?????!!! It cuts both ways though. How bad is it that much of your country's income comes from what is effectively slave labour? Maybe it'll be a wake up call to the ME, because if they don't start implementing better human rights, they're going to end up with no one working in those sectors, or paying alot more because other nationalities won't work for that.

10% of Philippines GDP is made up of remittances....the majority of which comes from the Middle East......that would be cutting off your nose to spite your face...don't ya think?????!!!

If this is the case, then those of you who have maids trying to take you for a ride and borrowing money etc, you might find your maids working a little harder, knowing that they cannot go home and come back here on a new visa.

I heard this last week that there are currently very few Philipino people here on visit visas (like there used to be) - so there are only transferrable visas or people being brought straight in for employment...not sure if that is correct or not.

So it is just a proposal at the moment chocs? Does that mean it will take ages to move on a stage? I don't know how quickly they motion to implement these proposals over there, but obviously it's only a matter of time. Good on them I say.

The amount of money that will be lost if they do this will be awful for the Philippines.

So it is just a proposal at the moment chocs? Does that mean it will take ages to move on a stage?

@ Chocs01 .. wow ... good to see they are taking the welfare of their citizens seriously !!!

Well after a bit of research the Philippines government has approved a ban on household workers in Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE because of a lack of workers rights. So not sure she could even transfer to a new job anyway. But as I said earlier given what the OP has said about the family, she'd be banned anyway, Does this mean new visas won't be approved for Philipina maids?

From 5th September: The governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has approved a government proposal to ban the deployment of Filipino household service workers (HSW) in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The proposed ban followed a recommendation by the Department of Foreign Affairs based on ‘non-compliance by the three countries with labour policies and international and local laws and the country’s amended Migrant Workers Act. According to existing legislations, the Philippines will allow deployment only if the host country has ‘existing labour and social laws protecting the rights of workers.’ Last year, the total number of HSWs deployed overseas stood at 96,583. Kuwait ranked second with 21,554 Filipino domestic workers followed by UAE with 13,184, and Qatar fifth with 9,937. ETA: sorry the proposal for a ban has been approved, so looks like it won't be long before they do implement it. <em>edited by Chocs01 on 02/10/2011</em>

Understand ... sorry for asking :)

@ Helma, I hate to even ask this question .. especially as im from Texas and there are laws against discrimination ... but .. where are they from these employers? .. sorry for asking! please don't answer this. better to not open the can.

well in that case Im still looking for a maid as mine has been offered a new position in Europe with a whole lotta money and she goes with our blessings.

Well after a bit of research the Philippines government has approved a ban on household workers in Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE because of a lack of workers rights. So not sure she could even transfer to a new job anyway. But as I said earlier given what the OP has said about the family, she'd be banned anyway, Strange, my friend has just prepared the papers for 2 new maids from Ph. One is arriving this week and the other the following week, having completed their mandatory training period in Manila.

@ Helma, I hate to even ask this question .. especially as im from Texas and there are laws against discrimination ... but .. where are they from these employers? .. sorry for asking!