Domestic help seeks help on Facebook, claims employers make her work beyond 11 PM: 'Have lost 6 kgs'

The helper said she had raised these concerns with her employers but saw no improvement.

A domestic worker in Singapore sought guidance online after alleging that her employer paid her the minimum basic salary while requiring her to cover the cost of food, groceries and household supplies from her own earnings.

The account was shared in a Facebook group and later reported by The Independent Singapore. In her post, the woman described a year-long employment marked by delayed salary payments, extended working hours and increasing physical and emotional strain.

“I really need advice. I’ve been working for my employer for almost a year,” she wrote, before setting out what she described as ongoing difficulties at her workplace.

According to the helper, she had to fund her own daily necessities from the time she joined the household. “I’ve bought snacks, bread, tea, and coffee, even toiletries myself since the beginning when I arrived, while I get the lowest basic salary,” she said, adding that this arrangement continued for nearly three months after she started work.

She explained that she initially used ingredients available in the household kitchen after receiving permission. However, she said the situation later changed. “Previously, I took cooking ingredients with their permission, but they complained a lot because they were buying for Ahma (grandmother),” she wrote. “My mistake was to give in and buy cooking ingredients for myself.”

She added that she was later instructed to stop purchasing food items for her own use entirely.

The worker also alleged repeated delays in receiving her wages. “They paid my salary very slowly, more than a month (late),” she wrote, stating that the late payments made it increasingly difficult to manage expenses, particularly as she was covering food and household items herself.

She said her working hours were long and left little room for rest. “My work schedule is very busy, lasting until 11 pm or even later every day,” she wrote, adding that she rarely had breaks during the day.

The physical demands of the job, she claimed, had affected her health. “I’m very tired. I lost more than 6kg of weight before the medical (checkup),” she said.

According to the post, her workload did not ease even on rest days. “I work very hard to be perfect because all my employers are too fussy, and it makes me mentally and physically exhausted,” she wrote.

She also alleged that she regularly paid for cleaning products for the household using her own money. She said this happened even after she informed her employers in advance when supplies were running low, and claimed she was not reimbursed.

The helper said she had raised these concerns with her employers but saw no improvement. She added that while she wanted to change employers, she was hesitant to do so because she had not completed a previous contract, which made her uncertain about her options.

Her post prompted strong responses from members of the Facebook group, many of whom encouraged her to keep records of unpaid wages and out-of-pocket expenses, and to seek official assistance.

Several users advised her to approach Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and cautioned her against resigning without formal documentation. One commenter wrote, “Do not transfer or resign without reporting your case to MOM. Your future employer must see the MOM case records to know that you have a valid reason for terminating your contract. Your agency might not want you to report to MOM, but you must insist so that you can explain your job history.”

Others focused on her wellbeing, urging her not to push herself beyond her limits. “In 3 months, you’ll already know what’s happening inside the work site. You don’t have to push yourself when you’re mentally and physically drained,” another user commented.

"My suggestion, leave them. Life with this kind of employer will slowly kill you by [ruining] your mental health, physical health, and more,” a user wrote, adding, "You deserve to be happy. Find a job that treats you as a human being."