The Singaporean authorities have rejected calls for foreign domestic workers to be given a mandatory day off each week.

In an announcement on 7 March, the Ministry of Manpower stated its decision was to avoid “inconvenience” for households. Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry, Hawazi Daipi, declared that “prescribing minimum employment terms and conditions will inevitably lead to rigidities and inconvenience for many households.”

This is a shocking failure to recognise the rights of migrant domestics and the value of their work. Many national laws fail to acknowledge domestic labour as “proper” work, which should therefore be subject to labour laws that govern other employment.

Protecting migrant domestic workers' rights has long been an issue of concern for Anti-Slavery International. Because domestic workers are hidden from public view and often domestics live in the home of their employers, they are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including being subjected to threats or violence, forced to work long hours and denied their right to rest and fair wages.

In a response to the Ministry's declaration, two agency accreditation bodies said new contracts, due in June, will “entitle the domestic helper to have at least one day off [per month] ... In the event that the maid is required to work on the off day, she has to be compensated,” President of the Association of Employment Agencies Angland Seah said. According to reports, the amount would be S$20 (US$12) and would not affect existing contracts.

This is clearly insufficient. Until the Singapore Government secures the rights of foreign domestic workers in law, it will continue to encourage their exploitation.