Distressed Bosses Want Laws To Protect Their Interests
PETALING JAYA: Distressed employers are seeking protection against fraudulent agencies and runaway maids.
Having lost large amounts of money to agencies that draw up lopsided contracts, the employers are hoping new regulations will be put in place to safeguard their interests.
An employer who only wanted to be known as Alan, 39, said he paid an agency RM11,500 for an Indonesian maid.
“We got a complete lunatic who carried a knife around with her,” he said, adding that the maid stole money, jewellery and his children’s clothes to send to her own family.
“She threatened us with the knife when we confronted her,” he said, adding that the agency refused to give him a refund when he sent her back.
College lecturer S. Kumaran, 40, from Klang, lost RM6,000 in downpayment to a maid agency after their Sri Lankan maid left after just three months.
“She worked for exactly three months before suddenly claiming that her daughter was sick and that she had to go back to her country immediately,” he said.
Junaidah Ramadan, 52, said an agency collected RM7,000 from her before sending her a maid with a health problem.
“She could hardly walk, let alone do much work as she would experience severe pains in her joints,” Junaidah said, She added that the maid would often sit around and cry.
“The agency insisted that we pay half the original amount for a new maid, knowing that if we went to another agency, we would have to come up with another RM7,000,” she said.
An employer called Aileen lost her RM9,000 downpayment when her maid ran away after four months.
“The agencies make up their own rules that work to their benefit,” she said.
Bar Council chairman Ragunath Kesavan urged employers to lodge a complaint with the Human Resource Ministry or the Consumer Claims Tribunal if they suspected foul play by maid agencies.
Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Alwi Bavutty said maid agencies would be blacklisted if they would not provide a replacement if a maid ran away within the first three months.
Desperate Employers Paying High Prices For Temporary Maids
Stories by MUGUTAN VANAR, P. ARUNA and REENA NATHAN
PETALING JAYA: Maid agencies are cashing in on the shortage of domestic helpers in the country by charging desperate employers up to RM1,500 monthly for temporary maids.
The employers are paying a high price for these “temps,” who are hired for a few months before being “rotated” by the agency to other households.
With people willing to pay up to RM1,500 per month for such a temp, it is estimated that agencies are raking in up to RM18,000 each year for every maid under them.
Under the temp system, which is illegal, the employers will fork out the payment to the agencies, who would then pay the maids low wages and pocket the rest.
To fulfil the supply of maids as temps and due to the continued freeze by the Indonesian government, it is believed that the agencies are “recycling” those who have run away from their employers.
The growing practice was exposed by employers, who confessed to having paid large sums of money for these temps.
An employer from Kuala Lumpur, who declined to be named, said he was paying a registered agency RM1,500 per month for a temporary Cambodian maid.
“The agency told us she was a ‘rejected’ maid and we agreed to take her on because we were desperate for help and she was available immediately,” he said.
He said when the agency first informed them of the availability of a temp, his wife went to pick her up only to be told that she had already been hired to another household.
“We were told to come back after two days as these temps were in high demand,” he said.
Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Alwi Bavutty said it had received several reports of agencies supplying such temps and had sent letters demanding for an explanation.
“It is illegal and we will take action against any agency providing such services,” he said.
Alwi said maids were brought into the country only to work for specific employers and that the transfer of a maid to another employer could only be carried out once with approval from the Immigration Department and the first employer.
“If the second employer returns the maid to the agency, she has to be sent back to her country immediately,” he said, adding that there were many unregistered agencies getting maids through illegal means and offering them as temps.
Employers are also caught in the dilemma because the illegality of the temp system and the lack of documentation from the agencies mean that they cannot even file an official complaint if they are dissatisfied with the work.
Both Sources: The Star - Sunday, January 16, 2011
NO-SHOW HOUSEMAID
Submitted by pekwan
Couple Upset Over Partial Refund For Fruitless Wait
NADIRAH H. RODZI Joseph Kaos Jr
AMRAN and his wife have had a torrid time dealing with an employment agency to apply for a domestic worker.
In September, the couple approached Agensi Pekerjaan Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur to get an Indonesian maid.
After paying a downpayment of RM2,450 to the agency, the couple was told that the application would be processed after the Hari Raya break, as its Indonesian counterpart would also be closed for the holiday.
A month later, in October, after not getting any news, AMRAN contacted the agency. He was shocked to learn that the agency had yet to receive any document from its Indonesian counterpart because the candidate for the job had not confirmed her impending employment.
Not wanting to wait any longer, AMRAN and wife agreed to select a different candidate. They were promised that the application would be processed, and the maid should arrive in Malaysia by December.
When there was no word from the agency, AMRAN gave them another call.
"Imagine my surprise when I was informed that the maid had not arrived and gave me the same reason as the first candidate, in that the agency had not received her documents from Indonesia.
"I felt that if the agency in Indonesia was ineffective, they should stop using its services, and they should have the courtesy to inform us, and not let us wait here anxiously."
Fed up of the fruitless long wait, AMRAN requested the agency to return the RM2,450-deposit to him.
He was shocked when the agency told him that RM300 would be deducted from the deposit as "administration fees".
AMRAN disagreed and demanded a full refund, but when he eventually received the cheque, the RM300 was still deducted from the full amount.
"The agency highlighted to me a clause in the agency and employer’s agreement that RM300 would be deducted from my deposit in the event that I decided not to proceed with the employment of the maid from their agency.
"I disagreed because no maid was provided to us to begin with. They didn’t fulfill the job that we trusted them to do. How can they charge me RM300 for this?"
AMRAN and his wife insist that they get back their RM300 from the agency.
● When contacted, an Agensi Pekerjaan Sri Nadin manager reiterates the reason for AMRAN not getting his RM300 back.
"It is mentioned in Clause 4.4 (a) that a sum of RM300 shall be forfeited from the Agency Fee after the execution of the agreement, in the event that the employer decides not to proceed with the employment of the maid.
"The term 'agreement' here means that the employer agrees to appoint the agency's services to find the client a maid. The client had to sign this agreement first before paying the deposit.
"We trust that the client is able to understand the clauses in the agreement.
"The client also cannot say that we didn’t fulfill our job because there was, indeed, work being done to get the maid."
The manager says the client offered a RM550 monthly salary for the maids. "So we believe that this was the reason why the two maids in Indonesia decided not to take up the offer. The normal salary range for Indonesian maids is RM600.
"Since the client decided to stop using our services, we had to return the deposit, but as explained in the agreement, the RM300 had to be deducted."
Source: Malay Mail - Thursday, December 24th, 2009
PETALING JAYA: Distressed employers are seeking protection against fraudulent agencies and runaway maids.
Having lost large amounts of money to agencies that draw up lopsided contracts, the employers are hoping new regulations will be put in place to safeguard their interests.
An employer who only wanted to be known as Alan, 39, said he paid an agency RM11,500 for an Indonesian maid.
“We got a complete lunatic who carried a knife around with her,” he said, adding that the maid stole money, jewellery and his children’s clothes to send to her own family.
“She threatened us with the knife when we confronted her,” he said, adding that the agency refused to give him a refund when he sent her back.
College lecturer S. Kumaran, 40, from Klang, lost RM6,000 in downpayment to a maid agency after their Sri Lankan maid left after just three months.
“She worked for exactly three months before suddenly claiming that her daughter was sick and that she had to go back to her country immediately,” he said.
Junaidah Ramadan, 52, said an agency collected RM7,000 from her before sending her a maid with a health problem.
“She could hardly walk, let alone do much work as she would experience severe pains in her joints,” Junaidah said, She added that the maid would often sit around and cry.
“The agency insisted that we pay half the original amount for a new maid, knowing that if we went to another agency, we would have to come up with another RM7,000,” she said.
An employer called Aileen lost her RM9,000 downpayment when her maid ran away after four months.
“The agencies make up their own rules that work to their benefit,” she said.
Bar Council chairman Ragunath Kesavan urged employers to lodge a complaint with the Human Resource Ministry or the Consumer Claims Tribunal if they suspected foul play by maid agencies.
Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Alwi Bavutty said maid agencies would be blacklisted if they would not provide a replacement if a maid ran away within the first three months.
******
Desperate Employers Paying High Prices For Temporary Maids
Stories by MUGUTAN VANAR, P. ARUNA and REENA NATHAN
PETALING JAYA: Maid agencies are cashing in on the shortage of domestic helpers in the country by charging desperate employers up to RM1,500 monthly for temporary maids.
The employers are paying a high price for these “temps,” who are hired for a few months before being “rotated” by the agency to other households.
With people willing to pay up to RM1,500 per month for such a temp, it is estimated that agencies are raking in up to RM18,000 each year for every maid under them.
Under the temp system, which is illegal, the employers will fork out the payment to the agencies, who would then pay the maids low wages and pocket the rest.
To fulfil the supply of maids as temps and due to the continued freeze by the Indonesian government, it is believed that the agencies are “recycling” those who have run away from their employers.
The growing practice was exposed by employers, who confessed to having paid large sums of money for these temps.
An employer from Kuala Lumpur, who declined to be named, said he was paying a registered agency RM1,500 per month for a temporary Cambodian maid.
“The agency told us she was a ‘rejected’ maid and we agreed to take her on because we were desperate for help and she was available immediately,” he said.
He said when the agency first informed them of the availability of a temp, his wife went to pick her up only to be told that she had already been hired to another household.
“We were told to come back after two days as these temps were in high demand,” he said.
Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Alwi Bavutty said it had received several reports of agencies supplying such temps and had sent letters demanding for an explanation.
“It is illegal and we will take action against any agency providing such services,” he said.
Alwi said maids were brought into the country only to work for specific employers and that the transfer of a maid to another employer could only be carried out once with approval from the Immigration Department and the first employer.
“If the second employer returns the maid to the agency, she has to be sent back to her country immediately,” he said, adding that there were many unregistered agencies getting maids through illegal means and offering them as temps.
Employers are also caught in the dilemma because the illegality of the temp system and the lack of documentation from the agencies mean that they cannot even file an official complaint if they are dissatisfied with the work.
Both Sources: The Star - Sunday, January 16, 2011
******
Indonesian maid was hired by Ms Wee five months ago.
Deposit of RM5,000 was paid, with a promise that processing will be 2 to 3 months.
If not, Ms Wee has the right to cancel the contract with full refund.
Exactly three months later, the salesperson of the maid agency which Ms Wee approached, called to inform that the maid is not coming to Malaysia.
Since the promised time frame had elapse, Ms Wee requested for a temporary helper but was turned down by the agency.
She was asked to choose a new biodata of her another choosen maid.
A month later, there was no news from the agency.
So, Ms Wee called to ask the latest development of the date when the chosen maid supposed to arrive, or she insisted on being provided with a temporary helper.
The salesperson assured her the temporary helper is ready for her.
Two days later, when she appeared at the maid agency's office to take home the helper, she had a shock of her life.
She was to pay an additional RM6,500.
Frustrated, she asked for the full refund promised to her.
She was sent an email.
Refund was RM1,000 less minus miscellaneous expenses...
******
Eve engaged a maid agency a year ago, as her then existing maid wanted to go back to Indonesia.
She was promised of a new maid within 3 months after payment was made.
A trusting person, she believed what was promised by the agency.
Taking their words, she terminated the existing Maid’s visa on the promised month when the new maid is supposed to arrive.
She bought a flight ticket home for her existing maid too.
A month lapse, there was no sight of the new maid.
The exisitng maid is ready to fly home.
She went to the immigration, did not mind the penalty, and pleaded the immigration officer to renew the existing maid’s visa.
The maid agency once again promised Eve her new maid will be arriving in another month's time.
Again, she terminated her maid's visa and again, purchased air ticket for the second time for her maid to return home.
The whole promised month, for thirty days, Eve waited for the new maid.
Once again, she was no where in sight.
The immigration refuse to renew the visa of her existing maid the second time.
Since the promised maid did not appear, Eve was provided with a temporary maid.
That was when her house was robbed.
The maid who was sleeping in her room downstairs, did not hear any commotion when the house was entered into.
Eve felt cheated, send back the temporary maid, and asked for the return of her deposit.
They took another 4 months to return the money, minus the temporary maid’s salary, which is double the permanent maid...
******
NO-SHOW HOUSEMAID
Submitted by pekwan
Couple Upset Over Partial Refund For Fruitless Wait
NADIRAH H. RODZI Joseph Kaos Jr
In September, the couple approached Agensi Pekerjaan Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur to get an Indonesian maid.
After paying a downpayment of RM2,450 to the agency, the couple was told that the application would be processed after the Hari Raya break, as its Indonesian counterpart would also be closed for the holiday.
A month later, in October, after not getting any news, AMRAN contacted the agency. He was shocked to learn that the agency had yet to receive any document from its Indonesian counterpart because the candidate for the job had not confirmed her impending employment.
Not wanting to wait any longer, AMRAN and wife agreed to select a different candidate. They were promised that the application would be processed, and the maid should arrive in Malaysia by December.
When there was no word from the agency, AMRAN gave them another call.
"Imagine my surprise when I was informed that the maid had not arrived and gave me the same reason as the first candidate, in that the agency had not received her documents from Indonesia.
"I felt that if the agency in Indonesia was ineffective, they should stop using its services, and they should have the courtesy to inform us, and not let us wait here anxiously."
Fed up of the fruitless long wait, AMRAN requested the agency to return the RM2,450-deposit to him.
He was shocked when the agency told him that RM300 would be deducted from the deposit as "administration fees".
AMRAN disagreed and demanded a full refund, but when he eventually received the cheque, the RM300 was still deducted from the full amount.
"The agency highlighted to me a clause in the agency and employer’s agreement that RM300 would be deducted from my deposit in the event that I decided not to proceed with the employment of the maid from their agency.
"I disagreed because no maid was provided to us to begin with. They didn’t fulfill the job that we trusted them to do. How can they charge me RM300 for this?"
AMRAN and his wife insist that they get back their RM300 from the agency.
● When contacted, an Agensi Pekerjaan Sri Nadin manager reiterates the reason for AMRAN not getting his RM300 back.
"It is mentioned in Clause 4.4 (a) that a sum of RM300 shall be forfeited from the Agency Fee after the execution of the agreement, in the event that the employer decides not to proceed with the employment of the maid.
"The term 'agreement' here means that the employer agrees to appoint the agency's services to find the client a maid. The client had to sign this agreement first before paying the deposit.
"We trust that the client is able to understand the clauses in the agreement.
"The client also cannot say that we didn’t fulfill our job because there was, indeed, work being done to get the maid."
The manager says the client offered a RM550 monthly salary for the maids. "So we believe that this was the reason why the two maids in Indonesia decided not to take up the offer. The normal salary range for Indonesian maids is RM600.
"Since the client decided to stop using our services, we had to return the deposit, but as explained in the agreement, the RM300 had to be deducted."
Source: Malay Mail - Thursday, December 24th, 2009
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