My friend terminate 6 maids in 8 months

Why is it that everytime my friends hires a maid,it doesn't seem to work out. Whenever she terminates a maid, its always their fault or there is a big issue involve. I used to believe her until I see it for myself how she treats her maid. She is nice to me and my daughter but I am sick and tired of listening to all her "amah drama". How many times can an employer terminates a maid before the labor department can say you can't hire a maid anymore.

Hmmm... good question... There should be a "blacklist" of employees like some animal adoption programmes won't let people own animals. I'd put RoseRed on that list in a heartbeat.

I work in human resources, and where I work if someone applies for a job as a doorman (job duties: opening doors, and then closing them) they will have to undergo FOUR interviews for this position of responsibility. But the very same people who arrange these four interviews will happily recruit someone to look after their family by going through a photo album at an agency and picking out someone who looks ok. Until people take recruiting a helper (who will be taking care of your children...) a little more seriously there will still be problems.

1st DH : In Nov 2005, I was about to sign a new contract with my SLankan DH when she told me that her Husband wanted her back, so she wanted only a 1 year contract. I disagreed to that & had to let her go.

2nd DH :After going through a rather difficult process from getting one from India & waiting 6 weeks for her visa, I got my 2nd one. She was given in details her job here & she agreed to it all very happily. Landed in HKG....would not go near my daughter, refused to interact with us...told us she did not know how to cook & suddenly forgot how to even smile. She wanted the money though, I sent her back withn a month.

3rd DH : A 52 year old woman, good heart, tried her best, but could not cope with looking after a 3 year old & never slept! I felt bad letting her go after a week, but I genuinely belive she would be great for a home with animals to look after. She too agreed. I had to stop visa processing.

4th DH : Came end Jan. seemed promising. Agreed to everything at the interview. Has cooked maybe 3 times so far..awful food. Says we are fussy, coz we dont like packet soup noodles.Does not follow any instructions about our home, daughters food. Does not do everyday job unless told to eg...vacuuming, mopping... we do the marketing except when its an emergency, then she has to get bread, eggs, etc. When she does go shopping, she buys stuff for herself without asking & then uses our coins from our coin bag to replace what she has used up for herself.

We have found several items missing...when asked she has never seen them ever. Lies all the time...and the latest when I ask her anything she says ' Maam ENOUGH'.

She is arrogant, will not follow our home rules, I have proper instructions about my daughters upbringing & she does not follow any of them. When questioned, her reply is for my to understand my child.

Well, I could go on...but dont want get more upset that I already am. I am about to sign another girl...so have to put up with this woman till I get there.

My next Dh will be DH No 5 since Dec 2005. I guess I am gonna be told how evil I am & how I should be blacklisted? Dont worry, I am already heartbroken & so down by my DH...none of you can make me feel worse. I never believed the DH situation in HK could make me feel like this. Of course, if I just let my DH get on with it & have her way & let her run my home, family & life her way...we could all be happy...but I am one of those who wants my home to be run the way I want it to be run.

Just dont forget, while a lot of employers are bad a lot of DH are not saints either.

I have a full time job which I need. I wish I had a choice where I could be at home. My Hubby & I are on local terms so no expat terms here & unfortunately expats dont have family around to help & be there when required.

Sorry - you've had a bad run.

Before starting interviewing again you need to sit down and go through your requirements and stick to them when hiring. These were my requirements this time (this is my third helper in less than two years - both left - one luckily and one sadly):

Younger than me (I'm 33 - I wanted someone younger as I feel it is more comforable for me in the employer's role).

Sri Lankan (for language reasons).

Some experience with children and cats (we have two evil cats and the first helper was terrified of them).

A feeling (from the interview) that she would be likely to stay with us for a few years.


We interviewed a few and only one met all these requirements - now I'm in the process of beating some common sense and organizational skills into her.

Gogis,

I followed all your instructions with my present DH & yet she is the tops at being terrible.

In fact, my Mom was here for nearly 3 months training her on cooking food & she even did it. Mom left & she forgot how to cook & lost all the recipes she was given. So, I started all over again with her & she yet cannot do it.

We dont expect them to just learn our style from recipe books ( even though I have about 8 recipe books & I follow them & manage to do well with them).

There are some DH who just dont want to do things our way or just too smart. I believe mine is. Cant cook, wont shop, wont follow housework rules & we will just put up with it.

My luck, falling for her charm & believing in her. Gave it until now for her to improve...but I have certainly reached my wits end.

Thanks geiboyi.....

Dear All,

I will be moving to DB shortly and all of this scares me!! Are there any good stories? Have had DH in taiwan (a much smaller pool to choose from) and although not perfect she did what she was asked, didn't steal and worked her butt off! What have i let myself in for????

I was planning to come a week before work begins but now I am worried.

Ah just seen it the good dh thread. Sorry to waste your time !!!

That's odd abcd1234twinkle...the employer is considered irresponsible if the employee claimed to be able to do the job and then once hired had none of the required skills?


I have had at least a dozen maids in as many years. Most were part time who would often work for a while and then not show up suddenly or worse send someone new to cover their work without telling me. After it became necessary (both legally and work-wise, and just plain old economically sensible) to hire a live-in we have had three overseas and one local hire in 5 years. The first went to a 2nd contract, but her change in disposition and work performance after we moved from city to NT ensured she was not going to have a successful renewal. Then we tried a local hire live out, who, while we were satisfied, after a few months kept trying to introduce us to live-in friends, while she complained the work was too hard for her. So we went through the interview process and hired a helper who upon starting showed no cleaning ability at all and was not able to complete her work, even though she would work 14 hours a day. (it became clear later that she had only ever held Nanny jobs and while she was experienced had lied about her cleaning experience). She also would not follow instructions and through doing so damaged a brand new washer/dryer, by using it as an iron board, even after being told not to specifically. We fired her after only 6 weeks.


We now have a very pleasant, quick, hard working, and willing to listen and ask questions Sri Lankan helper who seems up to the task and can finish her work without working such ridiculous hours. So perhaps we will have a few successful contracts, who knows.


In interview ( we have interviews at least 30 helpers in the past 6 months) I have met many many many helpers who lie clearly and directly, and when I have called them on obvious lies they become either aggressive or lie again.


In the real world company's and employees have first 1 month ( no notice) and then an additional 2 months (total 3 months) probation, specifically because no matter how many tests, and interviews there is no way to know if employer and employee will match upon hire. Why should employers of FDH be held to a higher standard? Companies, just like DH employers sometimes go through spells where several new-hires do not pan out. This is more likely with low skill/entry level posts and with very highly skilled senior posts. The middle level in an organisation usually has the lowest turn-over.

Sorry, I'm with abcd1234twinkle here - of course there are people who are not 100% honest in job interviews (and really, who is? If your prospective boss asks you how you spend your days off, do you tell the truth and say that you spend them drinking tequila on a juknk? Of course not, you're hiking Tai Mo Shan most weekends, aren't you...), but the vast majority of people here hire a young girl (stronger), no experience (doesn't kow her rights), new to HK (no troublemaking friends), from Indonesia (willing to work long hours for illegal wages) and then they complain that she is not the superhelper they expect. In this case employers deserve all they get. If you take hiring an employee seriously you will get a good employee. If you don't, you won't.