Btw Barb, here are the labour laws as applied to foreign live-in care givers:
"Generally, you cannot be required to work more than 8 hours a day or your regular daily work schedule (if more than 8 hours). For you to work more than the daily limit, your employer must have your written agreement.
Generally, you cannot be required to work more than 48 hours a week. For you to work more than 48 hours in a week, your employer must have your written agreement and an approval from the Ministry of Labour."
SDA Lady works 78 hours per week. Each caregiver signs a contract outlining the expected and agreed upon hours of work. Women coming directly from overseas e.g. Philippines will agree to pretty much anything to get into the country. After their 2 year caregiver contract is over they quit and find better employment because they have open work permits by then. My guess is that the employer just tells the ministry of labour that the employee has off time during the day when the kids are napping or some such nonsense. It isn't an easy life for these ladies but Mom living this life is what put SDA Lady's daughter through college in the Philippines. She worked previously in Hong Kong for nine years and the norm there, and here, is six days of work per week. Fun stuff...oh, and I read that the money these lady's send home makes up 10% of the Philippines GDP, accounts for 75% of big ticket items sold and gives the country lots of foreign currency. The government encourages ladies to work overseas. Nice, eh.
