Hiring a foreign domestic helper in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

Hiring a helper lifts a significant load of duties for people and provides a better work-life balance for those who struggle to maintain one. It could be one of the best decisions made, especially for working married couples with children or the elderly to be taken care of.

Although the ease of workload is an obvious benefit, those who have had experience hiring a helper would understand the processes and possible struggles that comes with it. With COVID-19, it brings along a series of necessary COVID-19 precautions and added financial costs for employers to bare. Here, we discuss some important aspects for prospective employers to think about when hiring a domestic helper in the COVID-19 era.

Picking An Agency You Trust 

With or without COVID-19, the first step to engaging a helper is picking an agency that suits your needs. Employers first want to conduct extensive research online and seek recommendations from friends and family to find a reputable agency, one that provides the most fuss-free experience.

With additional steps surrounding COVID-19 that needs to be taken, it’s even more important to have someone you can trust to handle the administrative processes. You also want to ensure that your expectations and needs are met with the helper you hire through the agency, to make it worth all the effort that has been put in.

Considering Additional Costs

An extra cost that employers have to consider with the pandemic is the increase of agency service fees that account for additional administrative work brought by COVID-19. These include time-sensitive and taxing processes such as coordinating limited flights, Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s entry approvals and strict border entry requirements.

Expenses for COVID-19 tests and stay-home notices (SHN) are also borne by employers, where most new helpers serve SHN at dedicated facilities. The amount varies. According to a Channel News Asia (CNA) article, the price employers pay for hiring foreign domestic helpers is estimated to have almost doubled in the pandemic, from S$2,500 to about S$4,800.

Choosing The Right Maid Insurance

Following the MOM’s COVID-19 entry approval, employers must purchase compulsory medical insurance with a minimum cover of S$10,000 before the helper arrives in Singapore. This is to cover any COVID-19 related medical expenses if they develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive within 14 days of arrival in Singapore.

Getting the right coverage for your helper to ensure that her healthcare needs are met is important to save you heavy out-of-pocket costs. For instance, FWD’s Maid insurance covers more than MOM’s requirement, with up to S$15,000 for COVID-19 hospitalisation costs and S$10,000 for COVID-19 repatriation expenses. Not only that, FWD will directly pay the MOM the mandated security bond for up to S$5,000, without any additional payment from you.

If you have an existing maid insurance, you can still supplement her insurance cover with independent add-ons from FWD. Opt for cashless outpatient medical expenses, six-monthly medical examination (6ME) and performance bond for Philippine Embassy, whichever that best suit her needs.

It’s simple to get your helper insured with FWD, and you can simply get a quote here in a few minutes.

Saving More with Available Waivers

With extra expenses related to COVID-19 tests or SHN, being aware of the available financial help will help reduce the impact on your wallet.

You can reduce the cost of your helper’s monthly levy with the government levy waivers. For helpers who are on SHN, Quarantine Order, or are COVID-positive, the period for the waiver has been extended from September to December 2021.

According to the mentioned CNA article, the costs for the SHN facilities can amount to S$1,500. However, employers can appeal for SHN waivers as well. Depending on individual’s household income and financial situation, applications are reviewed by the MOM. From April 2020 to February 2021, about 3,200 appeals to waive SHN costs for maids were approved.

With about 250,000 domestic helpers here in Singapore, they serve a crucial role in many families. Taking the necessary safety precautions protects the health of our helpers and communities while paying attention to the possible expenses prepares us to know what to expect financially when hiring a helper in the COVID-19 era.