Cleaner being investigated by Ministry of Manpower

[Jennycleaner]

I need advice. My cleaner of 2 years suddenly quit.
I just got a call from ministry of manpower to come to their office to discuss her.
Am I in trouble?
She is a freelance phillipino cleaner who has been cleaning 5 of my friends condos for the last 3 years. I don't know her work visa status, I never asked because she was recommended.
Do I need a lawyer?

[the lynx]

I need advice. My cleaner of 2 years suddenly quit.
I just got a call from ministry of manpower to come to their office to discuss her.
Am I in trouble?
She is a freelance phillipino cleaner who has been cleaning 5 of my friends condos for the last 3 years. I don't know her work visa status, I never asked because she was recommended.
Do I need a lawyer?

Is she your part-time maid or did you hire her as her employer?

By law, a maid should not clean for anyone else other than her registered employer. If she cleans for other people, it is against the law and all offenders will be prosecuted.

[bgd]

What Lynx says.

However I did have friends in a similar situation. They were eventually let off with a warning. Had to surrender their passports for a period though. Nearly impacted their annual holiday.

[Jennycleaner]

As far as I am aware she was a freelance cleaner, so wan't a maid/didn't have a contract with anyone full time. She seemed to have 10 ladies over singapore she cleaned for and went to 2 different condos per day.

[bgd]

I doubt there is any legal work pass for a free lance cleaner from PI. She will most likely be a maid doing outside work to supplement what, if any, she earns from her registered employer. Often employers allow this to get a maid on the cheap. Not so good for everyone concerned when she gets caught.

[ecureilx]

I doubt there is any legal work pass for a free lance cleaner from PI. She will most likely be a maid doing outside work to supplement what, if any, she earns from her registered employer. Often employers allow this to get a maid on the cheap. Not so good for everyone concerned when she gets caught.

there is NO pass for part time work for foreigners ...

good luck to OP trying to explain to MOM

per law, ignorance of the law is not an excuse and employing an illegal worker is against the law!!!

[PNGMK]

I doubt there is any legal work pass for a free lance cleaner from PI. She will most likely be a maid doing outside work to supplement what, if any, she earns from her registered employer. Often employers allow this to get a maid on the cheap. Not so good for everyone concerned when she gets caught.

I had a part time cleaner who was a PR filipino. She showed me her IC. Didn't look that much like her.

[ecureilx]

I doubt there is any legal work pass for a free lance cleaner from PI. She will most likely be a maid doing outside work to supplement what, if any, she earns from her registered employer. Often employers allow this to get a maid on the cheap. Not so good for everyone concerned when she gets caught.

I had a part time cleaner who was a PR filipino. She showed me her IC. Didn't look that much like her.

years ago, many part timers claim they are 'legally employed' with a 'sponsor'

only later did I find out the sponsor is actually their employer / bf ...

from what I know, PRs and SC are rare for part time cleaning as they can make more money doing other stuff for less effort ...'like working in shops, baby sitting .... etc

[bgd]

The friends I mentioned in my earlier post employed their cleaner because she was married to a SC. The only problem was her view of marriage differed from that of MOM.

It never pays to take things here at face value.

[ecureilx]

The friends I mentioned in my earlier post employed their cleaner because she was married to a SC. The only problem was her view of marriage differed from that of MOM..

married in Heaven ... I know ... a lot of living together's claim to be husband and wife, though back home they have their own spouses!!!

[taxico]

I need advice. My cleaner of 2 years suddenly quit.
I just got a call from ministry of manpower to come to their office to discuss her.
Am I in trouble?
She is a freelance phillipino cleaner who has been cleaning 5 of my friends condos for the last 3 years. I don't know her work visa status, I never asked because she was recommended.
Do I need a lawyer?

why don't you ask if you are legally required to talk to them, and to provide documentation stating so before you go anywhere.

you can also first ask over the phone if you are in any trouble... they can sometimes be quite candid about it (especially since it is unlikely you're being prosecuted).

make your decision after you've got your answers. i do not recommend stepping into MOM until you know what you're dealing with...

[Beeroclock]

I need advice. My cleaner of 2 years suddenly quit.
I just got a call from ministry of manpower to come to their office to discuss her.
Am I in trouble?
She is a freelance phillipino cleaner who has been cleaning 5 of my friends condos for the last 3 years. I don't know her work visa status, I never asked because she was recommended.
Do I need a lawyer?

why don't you ask if you are legally required to talk to them, and to provide documentation stating so before you go anywhere.

you can also first ask over the phone if you are in any trouble... they can sometimes be quite candid about it (especially since it is unlikely you're being prosecuted).

make your decision after you've got your answers. i do not recommend stepping into MOM until you know what you're dealing with...

Why is that taxico? I'd have thought its best to cooperate with these govt folks especially if you're potentially in the wrong, even if it was through ignorance.

[martincymru]

I suggest

1. do not attend interview
2. block MoM's number on your phone
3. never admit on this forum or any that you are wrong/guilty.

If MoM are serious they will write stating authority, statute, + evidence etc.

They need bullets from you one of which will be used to nail you. It's the way it works here.

[nakatago]

I need advice. My cleaner of 2 years suddenly quit.
I just got a call from ministry of manpower to come to their office to discuss her.
Am I in trouble?
She is a freelance phillipino cleaner who has been cleaning 5 of my friends condos for the last 3 years. I don't know her work visa status, I never asked because she was recommended.
Do I need a lawyer?

why don't you ask if you are legally required to talk to them, and to provide documentation stating so before you go anywhere.

you can also first ask over the phone if you are in any trouble... they can sometimes be quite candid about it (especially since it is unlikely you're being prosecuted).

make your decision after you've got your answers. i do not recommend stepping into MOM until you know what you're dealing with...

No stated agenda? They should at least have the courtesy to give more details, otherwise you'll end up spending time and effort to, like what the others have said, get yourself in trouble.

Also, I agree to having things in writing, if only to cover your @$$.

"No, we're not arresting you. We're just inviting you to the station have a friendly chat."

[Wd40]

What a coincidence, Lynx the other day you brought up this the other thread about hiring part time maids being illegal We both agreed its illegal. I just hope OP's plea of ignorance will save him.

Also its pretty interesting that people are asking OP not to got o MoM, sounds very counter intuitive.

Especially so if OP is an EP holder, his EP is at stake here.