Maids exempt from minimum wages

Maids exempt from minimum wages

JAKARTA (JP): Determining the amount of monthly minimum wages for domestic maids would be too complicated, a deputy governor says.

R.S. Museno, who deals with social welfare, said yesterday that a maid's qualifications and an employer's economic condition must be taken into consideration in deciding a maid's wage.

He said his office is still reviewing the concept of a minimum wage level for maids submitted by the city's manpower office.

"If there are two inexperienced maids, with one of them being able to cook and the other unable and needing training, it would be difficult for the administration to set the same wages for them," he cited.

"It is important to standardize the wages but thorough studies must be made first to avoid protest from the public in the future," he said.

Last year, the administration returned the minimum wage level concept for maids to the city manpower office, and asked the office to restudy the concept.

The head of the office, Suhatman, said yesterday that his office is still reviewing the plan which was based on a scheme made by the Social Institution Center of the University of Indonesia.

Aslam Sumhudi, a staff member of the center, said the minimum wages proposed was the result of a second research conducted by the center last year.

The center proposed minimum wages ranging from Rp 40,000 to Rp 60,000 per month.

Originally, the study proposed Rp 20,000 a month for helpers working for lower-class families, Rp 40,000 for middle-class families and Rp 60,000 for those working for upper-class people.

Lower-class families are those living on less than 36 square meters of land, middle class on 36 to 150 square meters and upper class on more than 150 square meters.

"The proposed amount is take-home pay which does not include accommodation, health care, food and annual extra allowance which should also be provided by the employers," he said.

Aslam said that based on the second study there are many maids who are underpaid, receiving only Rp 40,000 per month.

Atje Mulyadi, chairman of the City Council's Commission E for social welfare hailed the plan, saying that it is time for the administration to set minimum wage levels for domestic helpers because they are also categorized as workers.

"Regulation on maids' minimum wages is very important for both maids and employers," Atje said.

The regulation will guarantee that employers get experienced maids who fulfill any work contract agreed upon, he said.

Many maids provided by employment agencies in Jakarta dishonor their work contracts after two or three months of employment.

Only 500,000 out of 1.7 million Jakarta families hire maids, while only 25 out of 110 employment agencies for maids have legal permits. (yns)