MOM encourages, but does not require, an employment contract between you and your helper; the terms must be agreed by both of you, and your agency can draft it. What is required is a separate safety agreement on window cleaning, signed by you, your helper and the agency, with each of you keeping a copy. A first-time helper signs it after her Settling-in Programme and before she starts work; other helpers sign before they are deployed to you.
The employment contract
MOM says helpers are not covered by the Employment Act, so a contract is how you set terms and avoid disputes. MOM encourages covering:
- Salary
- Placement loan
- Number of rest days per month
- Compensation in lieu of a rest day
- Notice period
- Compensation in lieu of termination notice
Either side can end the contract by giving the notice period in the contract, or pay salary in lieu if notice cannot be given. Notice can be waived by mutual consent. Source: Contracts and safety agreement for MDWs.
The safety agreement
- Who signs: you, your helper and the employment agency. Your agency must arrange it.
- When: first-time helpers after the Settling-in Programme and before starting work at your home; all other helpers before they are deployed to you. Renewing your existing helper's contract does not need a new one.
- Language: her copy is in English plus her native language. MOM lists versions in Bahasa Indonesia, Burmese, Khmer, Sinhalese, Tagalog, Tamil and Thai.
- What it covers: restrictions on cleaning the outside of windows and her acknowledgement of your requirements.
Where to sign and how to store copies
- Sign the contract and safety agreement at the agency or before she starts, and make sure she gets her own copy of each. MOM says each party must keep a copy of the safety agreement.
- Keep a scan with your other records: the in-principle approval, Work Permit details and insurance policies.
- If you later reduce her salary, keep her written consent with the contract, and update MOM in FDW eService before the cut takes effect.
- If you pay salary in cash, keep the payment records that both of you sign. MOM says you must be able to produce them if asked.
For a clause-by-clause walk-through, see our main guide to the standard employment contract for MDWs.
Related guides
- Standard employment contract: what each clause means
- Employer copies of IPA, Work Permit and insurance policies
- Maid salary negotiation in Singapore
This is a practical guide, not MOM. Rules and fees change, so confirm the current position on mom.gov.sg before you act. Last reviewed: 11 October 2026.
