'Sign a legal contract when hiring a maid'<\/p>\n
The absence of regulations governing domestic service agencies,
\nhousemaids and employers has contributed to the rising cases of
\nrobberies involving domestic helpers. Despite the fact that there
\nare around 63 domestic service agencies in the city that have
\nplaced more than 6,000 maids, they are not bound to any
\nemployment contracts. The Jakarta Post talked to several people
\non the issue.<\/p>\n
Agustinus Rohadi, 33, is a junior high school teacher at an
\ninternational school in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. He resides in
\nBekasi with his wife and two children:<\/p>\n
I don't employ any housemaids since I fired my maid last year
\nfor stealing some belongings and money. She was caught red-
\nhanded. The agency took her home then.<\/p>\n
After the incident, my wife quit her job to look after our
\nsmall children and manage the household chores.<\/p>\n
I don't trust the domestic service agencies anymore because
\nI've also had another bad experience. Once, I hired a maid from
\nthe agency, but she quit her job after working just two days. She
\nsaid she did not feel at home, and the agency had forced her to
\ntake the job.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the agency did not want to take the
\nresponsibility, saying that it was outside the conditions of the
\nsigned agreement.<\/p>\n
I believe that the agreement has no legalities to comply with
\nin the terms of agreement. So, I guess the agreement is nothing
\nbut a sort of bill after a certain transaction. As a result, the
\nagency could wash their hands of any irregularities.<\/p>\n
The agency just said in the agreement that if the maid had
\nleft for an unclear reason, it would replace her with another
\nmaid or reimburse the three-month down payment.<\/p>\n
But the problem is not that simple, is it? I suspect that
\nthere is a conspiracy between the maids and the placement agency.<\/p>\n
Even so, I could understand to the extent to which the
\ncontinuing economic hardship has forced unskilled laborers like
\nhousemaids to resort to crime in order to make instant earnings.<\/p>\n
I think there should be a legal agreement involving the
\nagency, the housemaid and the employer in a bid to avoid
\nirresponsibility. Perhaps the legal agreement will consequently
\nraise the fees for the maid, but it doesn't matter as long as
\nthere is legal certainty.<\/p>\n
Diah Massardi, 40, is a director of an advertising agency in
\nSouth Jakarta. She resides in Bekasi with her husband and two
\nchildren:<\/p>\n
I hired a domestic helper twice through a domestic service
\nagency, but both ended in nightmares.<\/p>\n
I was impressed with the first housemaid, as she worked hard
\nand was a very good cook. But after a week, she quit my house
\ntaking valuable belongings and money with her. She took the
\nbranded goods.<\/p>\n
I complained about her to the agency, but it did not want to
\ntake any responsibility for the theft. The agency then replaced
\nher with another maid as I threatened to expose the incident to
\nthe mass media. But she also left the house a few days later.<\/p>\n
Because of this experience, I decided to hire a baby-sitter
\nfrom a reliable agency. The agency is more professional, as their
\nagreement sets the salary and the rights of the helper. The baby-
\nsitter has worked for me for more than eight years, and I find
\nher to be reliable.<\/p>\n
Of course, I have to pay a monthly salary that is higher than
\na normal worker's standard minimum wage. She also gets a two-day
\nholiday every month. Fortunately, she is trustworthy.<\/p>\n
I guess it would be better for domestic service agencies to
\nuse legal and reliable agreements like this baby-sitter agency's.
\nOtherwise, the image of the domestic service agencies will only
\nget worse because of their bad track records.<\/p>\n
Above all, I guess employers should not blame only their
\ndomestic helpers for being dishonest. The way employers treat
\ntheir maids and the meager salary they give are also factors
\nwhich provoke the maids to behave badly.<\/p>\n
Housemaids are also human beings who deserve to be treated
\nproperly and to receive reasonable salaries. Of course, the
\nemployer should also look through the maid's personal background
\nand track record before hiring her.<\/p>\n
As added security, I provide the security officers with the
\nmaid's identification, just in case.<\/p>\n
Ira, 27, works at a private company in South Jakarta. She
\nresides in Rempoa, South Jakarta, with her family:<\/p>\n
Upon hearing of my friends' experiences with their housemaids,
\nI completely agree with the idea of making work agreements
\ninvolving the domestic service agency, the housemaid and the
\nemployer.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, the agencies will never be responsible for their
\nmaids' actions, and will simply ignore the employers' complaints.<\/p>\n
I believe, in a way, that it is now very difficult to find
\ntrustworthy domestic helpers, but this doesn't mean that there
\nare no reliable and honest housemaids.<\/p>\n
Personally, I don't trust such agencies. If we need a domestic
\nhelper, we should get someone familiar, someone we already know.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, every person in my family has their own share of
\nthe household chores, so we've been able to take care of
\neverything ourselves. -- Leo Wahyudi S.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sign-a-legal-contract-when-hiring-a-maid-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}