FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKER HOTLINE

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of distress calls received in a year by operators manning its toll-free telephone line to assist domestic workers; (b) what training is given to these operators; (c) whether these operators can speak different languages; (d) what are the follow-up support services given to the domestic workers; and (e) how many domestic workers have been helped through this service in a year.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: The Labour Relations Department of my Ministry set up a foreign domestic worker hotline in 1997. This is to enable domestic helpers to call in to seek help and advice on issues relating to their employment in Singapore. The availability of this service was conveyed to all foreign domestic workers in a letter detailing how they could contact the Ministry if they need help. The service has been well used by the domestic workers of different nationalities. On average some 600 calls by foreign domestic workers are answered a year. Officers who are deployed to man the help-line have several years of experience handling employment disputes. They can speak at least 3 languages - English, Tamil and Malay. When calls lead to follow-up conciliation meetings, my Ministry will engage interpreters if necessary to ensure that the foreign nationals are not misunderstood.

Generally foreign domestic workers seek the advice on salary-related problems, general work environment and issues such as whether the foreign domestic workers are entitled to a gratuity after working in Singapore for several years. If the advice is over salary payment, the help line officers will record the complaint and arrange a conciliation meeting with the employer to seek a resolution of the dispute with her employer. In regard to complaints of physical abuses, the MOM officer will record the details and refer to the appropriate authority for investigation.