Resolving Challenges Faced by Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the efforts to resolve challenges faced by migrant domestic workers (MDWs) and their employers, as raised by Mr Yip Hon Weng regarding stakeholder collaboration and rest day legislation. Minister for Manpower Mrs Josephine Teo highlighted educational initiatives like the Employer Orientation Programme and the Settling-in-Programme, which teach employment responsibilities and relationship management. She detailed the provision of helplines and free dispute resolution services through organisations like the Centre for Domestic Employees to resolve disputes and promote contract completion. The Ministry actively engages with employers, employment agencies, and non-government organisations to gather feedback on ground issues and improve domestic worker management. Finally, the Ministry is reviewing further measures to protect MDWs, including rest day policies, and will conduct consultations to solicit views on these developments.
Transcript
86 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how is the Ministry working with foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and non-government organisations to resolve the challenges FDWs face working in Singapore, including that of legislating leave for FDWs; and (b) how does the Ministry reach out to employers of FDWs to better understand their issues with managing their FDWs.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Since 2004, the Ministry of Manpower has put in place the Employer Orientation Programme (EOP) for first-time employers of migrant domestic workers (MDWs). It educates employers on their responsibilities of care towards their MDWs, as well as how to manage their relationships with them. The Settling-in-Programme (SIP) for first-time MDWs in Singapore was also launched in 2012. It educates MDWs on their conditions of employment, how to work safely, relationship and stress management. These programmes help to reduce potential challenges MDW and their employers may face during the employment period.
In addition to the upstream education measures, the Ministry also ensures that MDWs are provided with information on helplines they can call, operated by MOM and non-government organisations (NGOs). We regularly reach out to employers, NGOs representing MDWs, and employment agencies to seek feedback on ground issues. In 2018, for example, employers and Employment Agencies highlighted miscommunications between MDWs and their employers as one of the reasons for early termination of contracts. This led MOM to work with the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) and the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) to provide free dispute resolution services to help employers and MDWs resolve their disputes amicably, thus promoting contract completion.
As mentioned previously during my Committee of Supply speech on 3 March, MOM is reviewing measures to better support and protect MDWs. This includes the policy on rest days. Similar to the stakeholder consultations conducted in the past, we will also conduct consultations to solicit views on this matter.