Every domestic helper in Singapore is entitled to one rest day each week. If she agrees to work on it, you must pay her at least one day’s salary on top of her salary. But at least one rest day a month cannot be paid out: she must actually take it. These are the Ministry of Manpower’s rules, and they apply to every helper, whatever her nationality.
Since 1 January 2023 the weekly rest day has been mandatory for every helper, and MOM can take enforcement action against employers who do not provide it.
What the rules say
| Question | The rule |
|---|---|
| How many rest days? | One per week. |
| Who chooses the day? | You and she agree on it together. |
| What if she works on a rest day? | Only if she agrees. You pay at least one day’s salary for it, as an extra amount that is not part of her basic salary. |
| Can all of them be paid out instead? | No. She must have at least one rest day a month that cannot be compensated away. |
| One whole day only? | No. A rest day can be one full day or two half days. |
| Where does she spend it? | Wherever she chooses. She may stay at home. |
| What if she cannot take it this month? | It can be deferred by up to one month: she should take it by the end of the following month. |
| Anything to record? | Yes. After you have agreed with her how it will be taken, update her number of rest days in MOM’s FDW eService. |
How it works over a month
Suppose she has four weekly rest days in a month.
- She takes all four. Nothing more to pay.
- She agrees to work two of them. She takes two, and you pay at least one day’s salary for each of the two she worked, on top of her monthly salary.
- She offers to work all four. Not allowed: at least one of them must be a real rest day. Paying for it does not satisfy the rule.
Making it work in a home
Write it into the contract. MOM encourages a written employment contract and suggests it states the rest days per month and the compensation for a missed rest day. A line on paper means neither of you has to remember what was said.
Agree how the day works. Some helpers go out, some meet friends, some prefer to stay in. Agree when she is expected back and how you reach each other.
Plan for a flexible month. Half days suit families who need her on certain days, such as a school run. If the family travels, the day can be deferred by up to one month, but not stored up beyond that.
Say it before she arrives. In the interview, tell her the number of rest days and how they work, so that what you offer and what she expects are the same.
Questions people ask
Is the rest day paid? Her monthly salary already covers it. She is paid extra only when she agrees to work on it.
Can I choose which day? Not alone. You and she must agree on it.
Does she have to go out? No. The rules say she may choose to spend her rest day at home.
Source: MOM, rest days and well-being. For the rest of an employer’s duties, see salary, food, housing and medical care. If you want help setting out the arrangement before she starts, talk to us.
General information as of the date above. MOM's current rules and your own service agreement are what apply.