Job Discussion Forums

[zarathustra]

Hello,

My family and I will be moving to Al Ain this August. I was wondering about hiring a domestic help to take care of my children (e.g. baby sitting, cooking, and a bit of cleaning). I have several children, but only the two youngest (both age 2) need to be taken care of.

Does anyone have any experience in hiring domestic help? What was it like? How much did you pay as compensation? How many hours did they work (assuming full time)? How does one go about finding someone who is trustworthy (and speak English)?

If you can offer any advice/comments, I'd be grateful.

Thank you in advance, z

[omanized]

Once you hit the ground there, you will be able to ask around for references regarding the help. Some of your colleagues will likely have at least part time help and the housemaids will want the extra work. I think that working for western families is the best opportunity going for the housemaid community - often better pay and conditions - I could be speaking out of my ..... here but most of my western colleagues treat their housemaids very well even helping with flights home if needed etc. They are so cheap to hire that it is hard not to offer some extra compensation.

For a daily housemaid, I would expect that you could pay her 20 rials ( 200 dhs ) a week to come in and clean - making dinner or something I don't know but that adds another dimension to the service and what if she can't cook very well?

Anyhow, I'm sure that you will find it easy to get reliable and competent help - if one isn't up to par, there are dozens more to choose from.

omanized

[Wigwam]

If you want a trustworthy housemaid who will look after the kids and keep them safe then I recommend that you only go with recommended housemaids from people you know rather than third or fourth party recommendations. If you want someone who works hard with a decent work ethic then most nationalities you meet will be suitable. Do interview all applicants before hand and do not be afraid to offer them a trial run ( one day, two days etc.. to see if they work how you would like them to work and fit in and get on with the kids and more importantly with whoever runs the house. Pay is entirely up to you. Many western families pay the minimum they can get away with claiming that they are paying the market price (but treat them well). If you respect life and do not believe in slavery then pay them a decent wage and they should (but not all do) work hard for you. You should offer a monthly salary not based on per hour. This ensures that they come back at the end of the month and also means that you are paying them for the work they do rather than the tasks to complete.
You could also sponsor your housemaid. This costs about 6,000 Dhs every year in government taxes(sposorship). This is worked by the amount 'you say you are going to pay' X10 plus gov't fees of about 2,000. The minimum you must officially pay is 400 DHS per month which means your sponsorship is 4,000 dhs + fees. If you decide to disclose your true payment to the housemaid ie 1200 per month then you must pay 12,000 plus fees.
Hope this helps