Employers take over chores and cares for maid who undergoes surgery

For about a month in 2024, Ms Ilana Rosenzweig and her husband David took over the household chores from their domestic helper Rose Ann Valdez.

They cooked, cleaned and walked their dog, so Ms Valdez could rest in bed.

In August 2024, Ms Valdez, 45, underwent surgery for a medical condition and took a month after that to rest and recover. She also had to have her workload reduced for several months.

During that time, her employers, who also paid for her medical costs, nursed her back to health. They also opened their home so her friends could visit, and cooked dishes such as potato ginger soup to help with her healing.

Grateful for the care she was shown, Ms Valdez nominated the couple for the Employer of the Year award by the Association of Employment Agencies Singapore (AEAS).

The Rosenzweigs, who were the first runners-up, were presented with their award on Feb 5 at a ceremony at the Amara Singapore hotel.

Explaining why she nominated her employers, Ms Valdez told The Straits Times that she had not expected them to give her "special treatment" and extend such consideration to her, as she was the one working for them.

This year marks the 20th iteration of AEAS' annual Migrant Domestic Worker and Employer of the Year awards.

The Rosenzweigs were among some 200 nominations for domestic workers and employers that AEAS received this year.

Twenty long service awards were also given out to domestic workers who had worked for their employers for more than 15 years.

Ms Valdez has been working for the Rosenzweigs for the past 10 years and said they had accompanied her to numerous pre-surgery appointments.

The American couple also paid for her surgery and medical costs, which amounted to more than $15,000 and were only partially covered by insurance.

Ms Valdez, who declined to give details about her medical condition, had been visiting the doctor since 2021.

Ms Rosenzweig, who works in the tech industry and has been living in Singapore since 2013, said she felt it was natural to help Ms Valdez in her time of need.

"Rose has been taking care of our family really well over these 10 years. When we're sick, she takes care of us, and she deserves to have her needs taken care of too," said Ms Rosenzweig, 56.

Ms Valdez left her two children in the Philippines and came to Singapore to work in 2005. The Rosenzweigs, who have two children, are her fourth employer.

The top employer award went to Ms Coreen Chua, who has been with her Indonesian helper Darsiti Darwaji since 1999.

Meanwhile, the Migrant Domestic Worker of the Year award went to Ms Lorevic Maquiz Gallos, known to her friends and her employer as Lory.

Her employer, Ms Margaret Ng, nominated her to recognise her efforts in caring for the family and pointed out that Ms Gallos was like another mother to her daughter.

"Lory has worked with us for 18 years, which is quite an achievement. We thought she deserved the recognition for the personal sacrifice she'd made leaving her own family to become part of ours, and for the incredible support she has provided throughout those years," said Ms Ng, who is in her late 50s.

Ms Gallos, who also got two other awards, including a long service award, received $2,600 prize money in total.

The 55-year-old told ST she was "super happy and surprised" to have won.

Ms Ng added that she also encouraged Ms Gallos' efforts to upskill herself, pushing her to take financial literacy and caregiving courses. With the skills she learnt, Ms Gallos managed to grow her savings over the years and use the money to buy three properties in the Philippines.

"We've tried to ensure that when she eventually returns home, she'll be in a better position than when she left," said Ms Ng, adding that she wanted Ms Gallos to have financial stability in the future.

Ms Gallos first came to Singapore in 1999 from the Philippines. At that time, her three sons were between five and eight years old.

Her youngest son was born with a brain condition that leaves him bedridden.

"When Lory first joined us, I was a new mother and I remember asking her how she felt leaving her children and how she would cope," said Ms Ng, a retired human resources director.

"Lory said to me in return, 'Ma'am, I come here to work and make money to support my children'. Eighteen years on, I truly believe she has achieved her personal goal."