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At a glance
- It may seem convenient to get your helper to assist with your home-based business or even carry out simple chores at your food stall or shop. But this is not allowed.
- Regulations against illegal deployment serve to protect your helper and yourself.
- There will be consequences if you make your helper work for your business.
Do you rope in your migrant domestic worker (MDW) to help out when your home-based business, food stall or shop leaves you feeling overwhelmed?
Don't do that or you'll be penalised if you illegally deploy her to work at another residential address or perform non-domestic chores.
So what exactly can your MDW help with?
The legal aspects
In general, your helper must only perform household chores at your residential address, as declared to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in her Work Permit.
Your MDW's employment contract clearly outlines her duties and responsibilities, and these do not include activities related to your business. To protect yourself from legal issues, keep her out of all business-related activities.
Beyond legalities, this is all about respecting your MDW. Giving her tasks outside of her contractual duties can lead to stress, fatigue and the risk of injury. Besides, overworking her affects you too since she would no longer be able to completely focus on her work. As her employer, it is your responsibility to look out for her well-being.
Scenarios: What’s allowed, what’s not
At this point, you may find yourself wondering about what is allowed. Let’s clear the air using some scenarios.
| Scenarios related to business |
Is this allowed? |
| You run a food stall and you’ve enlisted your MDW to help with simple tasks like packing food when it gets busy during lunchtime. |
Not allowed. Your helper can only perform household chores at your residential address. She’s not allowed to help out at your business. |
| You’re packing orders for your online store. It’s light work, so you asked your helper to help. She is on good terms with you and is happy to do so. |
Not allowed. She cannot work for your business, even if she is willing to or is compensated with extra allowance. |
| You’re busy with your home-based business. Your MDW volunteers to perform data entry for your business as she would like to practise her computer skills. |
Not allowed. You can thank her for the offer but do remind her not to work for your business. |
| Your MDW is a passionate amateur baker, and volunteers to help bake artisanal breads for your home-based bakery. |
Not allowed. Encourage her to indulge her passion by baking for your household or her friends. |
We hope this list helps. You may be wondering about similar situations that are not business-related. Here are some to consider:
| Scenarios not related to business |
Is this allowed? |
| You’ve asked your MDW to take care of your child at your parent’s or relative’s place. |
Allowed, but you must notify MOM by submitting this online form before proceeding with the arrangement. You will also need to obtain your MDW’s written agreement.
You must also ensure that she does not perform the full load of housework in both households, and that her accommodations meet certain requirements if she needs to stay overnight.
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You’ve gotten your MDW to clean your parent’s house or another property occasionally. You’ve also compensated her for the extra work.
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Not allowed, even if the work is performed occasionally and your MDW is compensated for it. |
Illegal deployment has its consequences
If you’re found to have failed to ensure that your MDW is performing only domestic work at the registered work permit address, you may face a financial penalty of up to $10,000, and may also be barred from employing MDWs in the future.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it’s all about doing things the right way. Running a home business can be challenging, and you may often find yourself stretched for time. However, respecting your MDW's rights and wellbeing, and not deploying her for work outside of your household not only safeguards you from breaking the law but also fosters a harmonious relationship between you and your MDW.