SINGAPORE – Employers who hire transfer maids should share the costs of the stay-home notice (SHN) and related Covid-19 tests, said the Manpower Ministry on Wednesday (Sept 8).

If the change of employer occurs within 12 months, MOM recommends that the new employer share the costs of SHN and related Covid-19 tests incurred by the current employer for the maid’s entry into Singapore.

MOM said the current employer should bear the costs proportionate to how long the maid worked for him within the 12 months.

For instance, if the change in employer comes after six months, the cost should be split in half between the current and new employers.

Maid agencies should also help current and prospective employers come to an agreement for the sharing of costs, the ministry added.

It listed three criteria for the sharing of costs.

First, the maid must have been transferred within 12 months after she completed her SHN.

Second, the current employer cannot ask for more than what he had paid for the costs of SHN and related Covid-19 tests.

Third, both the current and new employers must sign a written agreement on the costs shared.

Currently, employers who hire maids from overseas are required to bear the full cost.

But in cases where the employment contract is terminated prematurely, the employer would have incurred upfront SHN-related costs, said MOM.

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