Self-employed, part-time maid?

[BedokAmerican]

Here's our situation:

We hired a Filipina who appears to be in her 40s who "works for herself" to clean a few hours once a week and we pay her cash. We didn't go through an agency. She was recommended by a few of my husband's co-workers because she also cleans their places. I don't know if she's a permanent resident but she doesn't work full-time for any family, but gets work based on recommendations.

None of this sounded like a big deal (and it might not be), but after reading some of the posts on this forum, I'm wondering if it's legal to forgo an agency and to pay someone cash to clean? Or is this the equivalent of hiring someone to do a one-time job (even though they work weekly)?

Also, are self-employed workers required to file "earnings reports" with the government annually? Do those hiring the self-employed have to file anything?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Unless she has PR or citizenship here, what you are doing is highly illegal and can get both you and her thrown out of Singapore. If she doesn't have residency here as noted above, and is on a WP for another employer, she is in violation of her Work Permit rules and you are illegally hiring foreign workers without proper papers to work for you. Get as far away as possible as you are liable to have a field officer from MOM knocking on your door. This especially so if a neighbour doesn't like Yanks and reports it.

[x9200]

Your main and practically only concern is whether she has a pass allowing her to work. This practically means she has to be PR or a Singapore citizen.

[BedokAmerican]

Oh, ok, thanks for the information. But if she is a PR and has a work pass, is it necessary that an earnings report be filed with the government by her or that we file one (kind of like a W2 in the USA)? Or can she continue to be paid in cash?

[therat]

Oh, ok, thanks for the information. But if she is a PR and has a work pass, is it necessary that an earnings report be filed with the government by her or that we file one (kind of like a W2 in the USA)? Or can she continue to be paid in cash?

she need to be a PR or Singaporean in order to work freelance.

Work pass is illegal.

self-employed workers required to file income tax themselves.

[x9200]

If she is PR she can not have a work pass (unless you call the PR ID a work pass). Have you actually seen her ID? I know I sound probably paranoid but I've been using part time maids services for over 7y at this point and believe me, you should check out her ID.
As for the tax, she is an adult and has to pay her taxes by herself. You don't need to report her employment anywhere. There is a slight disagreement on this board whether you should pay her CPF but in my opinion such maid is engaged on a service, not an employment contract basis so you don't need to pay it neither.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If she is a PR or Citizen, you can pay her in cash and carry on as normal. If she cannot produce an NRIC in either Pink or Blue, the get rid of here ASAP even if she can produce a Work Permit. A Work Permit is only valid for a single employer, who's address will be shown on the Work Permit. She is NOT allowed to work for anybody else NOR at any other location than that which is shown on the Work Permit.

[BedokAmerican]

Here's what happened in an nutshell: She admitted to not being a PR. She has a work pass but claimed her employer said she can do side jobs (which I find hard to believe). Therefore, I told her not to come back to our place.

Kind of shocking she'd pull this, but maybe I shouldn't be too surprised. She just seemed so much more professional than many of the younger FDWs I see around our condo and she did great work. Needless to say, I'm doing the cleaning myself until we can get someone legal.

[therat]

Since she does not have the proper pass to work part time.
You might want to highlight to your husband's co-workers because IF she got caught. Those family that has engage her cannot claim, they are not aware.