As year-end holidays approach, many Singapore families start planning their trips. School is out, annual leave needs to be cleared, and everyone is ready for a break. For families with a domestic helper, there is always one extra question: what should she do while the family is overseas?
If no one is at home and the usual chores are reduced, some employers may not feel comfortable leaving their helper alone for too long. Others want to make sure her living arrangements are proper and supervised. In most cases, families choose between three main options.
Option 1: Let Her Stay With Your Parents Or Relatives
The simplest and likely cheapest choice is for your helper to stay with your parents or relatives while you are travelling. You do need to inform the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) if she is staying at a different address, and she is not allowed to work there.
Source: MOM
Even though this option feels inexpensive, it is not entirely free. You still need to cover her daily food and living costs. A small allowance of about $10 per day is reasonable. Over a ten-day trip, this comes up to about $100.
This works best when your helper is comfortable with the hosting family, and your relatives are fine with her staying temporarily.
Option 2: Bring Her Overseas With You
At first glance, bringing your helper along for a holiday sounds costly. Airfares to long-haul destinations can easily cross $500 to $1,000 during the school holiday period. You will also pay more for food, transport, travel insurance and possibly attraction tickets.
But the actual cost depends a lot on your travel plans. For example, a family of five (2 adults and 3 children) may already need two hotel rooms or a large service apartment. Adding one more adult does not always increase accommodation costs. If that is the case, the main extra cost is her airfare and daily expenses.
Meals in many regional destinations can be pretty affordable. When you factor in the benefit of having extra help with young children, some families may find that the overall value of bringing their domestic helper with them outweighs the additional cost. This is particularly true if you are travelling with young kids.
This option makes the most sense when the destination is nearby, accommodation does not scale with headcount, and you appreciate the additional support.
Option 3: Let Her Return to Her Home Country
Many helpers appreciate a short visit home. Air tickets to nearby countries like Indonesia and the Philippines usually cost a few hundred dollars, even during busier periods. Once she is home, her living costs will be low because she will likely be staying with her family.
This option gives her a chance to recharge and reconnect with loved ones, especially if she has been working for a long stretch without a break. You will still need to continue paying her salary, which is the same across all three options.
Just make sure her documents are in order and that you have clearly agreed on her return date.
Which Option Makes the Most Sense?
There is no one correct answer because every family travels differently.
If you want the lowest-cost option and have supportive relatives, leaving her with family in Singapore is usually the cheapest. If your holiday plans already involve large rooms or apartments and you want extra help with three or more young kids, bringing her along may not cost as much as you expect. And if she has not seen her family for a while, letting her go home is both thoughtful and reasonably affordable.
The important thing is to discuss the plan early and make sure all MOM requirements and insurance coverage are settled. With a bit of preparation, both your family and your helper can enjoy a smooth and restful holiday season.
Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Maid In Singapore?
Photo Credit: iStock/ronniechua
