All foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who have their Work Permits issued on or after 1 January 2013 will be entitled to a weekly rest day.
To give employers and FDWs greater flexibility, employers may compensate their FDWs if there is mutual written agreement between both parties for the FDWs to work on their rest days. The compensation should be at least one day’s salary or a replacement rest day taken within the same calendar month.
This new requirement will not affect you if your FDW’s work permit is issued or renewed before 1 January 2013.
• It is applicable to you when you renew the permit after 1 January 2013, or engage a new or additional FDW on or after 1 January 2013. In this case, you have to give your FDW a weekly rest day, or compensate her for work on her rest days if she agrees in writing to work on her rest days.
• your FDW has to be paid at least one day’s wage for each rest day forgone. The FDW’s daily wage is calculated by dividing her monthly salary by 26 working days, as there are typically 4 weeks (and therefore 4 rest days) in a month.
• you and your FDW have to mutually agree on which day of the week her rest day should fall on.