Fair phone, privacy and work-hour boundaries for your domestic helper in Singapore — what MOM allows, what is reasonable, and how to set rules without conflict.

CCTV cameras in the home are a divisive topic among Singapore employers. Learn the legal boundaries, ethical considerations, and best practices for using surveillance cameras while maintaining trust with your domestic helper.

The Bottom Line: Smartphone distraction and social media live-streaming among Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) in Singapore have become a primary source of employer conflict. While the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) mandates no explicit legal bans on phone usage, employers face severe liability and safety risks when caregivers prioritize platforms like TikTok over actively watching toddlers or vulnerable elderly family members. Managing this requires a structured household agreeme

A mobile-phone usage agreement helps you balance a supportive relationship with safe, respectful boundaries for your helper. This template sets out zero-screen zones, permitted phone times, late-night rules and social-media boundaries — amend it freely to suit your household. At a Glance: Phone Rules That Work Your helper's phone is a lifeline to her family — the goal is focus and safety, not isolation. Zero-screen zones: active caregiving, high-risk chores (cooking, ironing,

Phone usage is arguably the single most contentious, highly debated topic in Singapore's employer circles. Because the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has no explicit legal regulations dictating exactly how phone access should be managed, it is left entirely up to house rules. This creates an ongoing tug-of-war between employer surveillance and a helper's personal freedom. When employers and agencies discuss domestic helper phone rules online, the conversation typically divides