Some employers still pay their helper in cash. MOM allows it, but with record-keeping rules, and it carries risks that bank transfer avoids. If you pay cash, do it properly.
MOM's rules for cash payment
- Pay her salary every month, no later than 7 days after the end of the salary period.
- Keep a record of each salary payment and be able to produce it if requested.
- Both you and your helper must sign each salary payment record to confirm payment.
- Switch to bank transfer if she asks. MOM requires you to pay by direct bank transfer on request.
- You must not keep her salary or other money for her, even if she asks.
The risks of cash
- Disputes: without a clear record, it is your word against hers if a payment is questioned.
- Loss or theft: cash kept in her room can go missing.
- Late payments: it is easier to forget a cash payment than a scheduled transfer.
- Pressure to "safekeep": helpers sometimes ask employers to hold cash for them, which MOM does not allow.
A good cash salary record
Use one page per month, or a simple booklet, showing:
- The salary period, for example 1 to 30 September.
- The payment date.
- The declared salary and any rest-day compensation, listed separately.
- Any agreed loan repayment and the balance left.
- Both signatures, with her signature added only after she has received the money.
Give her a copy or let her photograph each page, and keep yours for the whole employment and some time after it ends.
Moving to bank transfer
- Help her open a bank account in her own name.
- Add her as a payee and schedule a monthly transfer.
- Keep the last cash records with your files.
Most families find bank transfer simpler within a month. See our guide to paying salary by bank transfer.
A worked example
You pay cash on the 3rd of each month for the previous month. You hand over the salary, she counts it, and both of you sign that month's line in the booklet. In a month with rest-day compensation, you add a second line for it. If MOM or the agency ever asks, the booklet shows every payment.
Official source: MOM's salary guidelines page.
Whichever method you use, consistency matters most: the same payday every month and a record for every payment.
If your helper cannot read English well, explain each line of the record before she signs, or use a record in both languages.
Common questions
Is a WhatsApp message enough as a record?
MOM requires a salary record signed by both of you for cash payments. A message can supplement it but should not replace it.
Can I pay part in cash and part by transfer?
You can, as long as the full declared salary is paid on time and every payment is recorded. Bank transfer for the whole amount is simpler.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Procedures change, so confirm the current steps on mom.gov.sg or with your licensed employment agency.
