Debated in Parliament on 15 Aug 2016.
Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Manpower (a) if he can provide an update on the effectiveness of the compulsory day off policy for foreign domestic workers; and (b) for 2014 and 2015, what is the number of (i) foreign domestic workers who do not have a weekly day off, (ii) foreign domestic workers who are not compensated if they do not have a weekly day off, (iii) complaints which the Ministry has received about employers not granting rest days and (iv) complaints which the Ministry has received about employers not compensating foreign domestic workers in lieu of not taking their weekly day off.
The rest day policy introduced in 2013 requires employers to provide their foreign domestic workers (FDWs) with a weekly rest day while giving employers the flexibility to compensate their FDWs with extra pay if the FDW agrees to work on her rest day. This arrangement is in recognition that some employers may have genuine difficulties giving FDWs weekly rest days and that some FDWs may prefer the option to work and earn more by forgoing their rest days.
This policy has been making encouraging progress. Since its introduction, the vast majority of our FDWs have reported having rest days. In a 2015 survey of FDWs, it was found that 97.5%, or almost all, received at least one rest day every month, up from 53% in 2010. Furthermore, more than 55% received a weekly rest day in 2015, up from 13% in 2010.
Complaints from FDWs to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regarding rest day arrangements and compensation-in-lieu of rest days are small in number. There were around 40 complaints received by MOM from 2014 to 2015, representing less than 0.02% of the FDW population. No rest day-related violations were found in these cases from MOM's investigations. Our investigations showed that some of the FDWs wanted to change their rest day agreement with their employers while others were unsure if they had been paid rest day compensation. MOM resolved these cases after clarification with the respective FDWs and employers.
To minimise misunderstandings, we have enhanced the In-Principle Approval letter sent out to all FDWs before they arrive in Singapore. This letter, in the FDW's native language, details the FDW's basic salary, the number of agreed rest days, and the compensation for each rest day forgone. The letter allows the FDW to be fully aware of her salary and rest day compensation before she decides to come to Singapore.
It is important that FDWs are treated fairly. FDWs who need assistance on issues relating to rest days can approach MOM through our MOM FDW hotline.
PAPERCUTS