Everything About Employer Orientation Programmes EOP?

If you are hiring a foreign domestic worker (FDW) in Singapore, you should know what an EOP (Employer Orientation Programme) is.

There is no restriction on the employer or the maid to take up any course before they start working together in most other countries. However, before you and your domestic helper begin working together in Singapore, you will both need to complete special training.

The Settling-In Program is required for your maid, and the Employers' Orientation Program is required for the employer. The Settling-In Program became a requirement for hiring a foreign domestic helper in 2012.

It's an interesting phenomenon, and before we understand why this process of EOP is beneficial for society as a general, we should look into its dynamics.

What is the Employer Orientation Programme?

The process of orienting freshly hired employees to their new workplace is known as employee orientation. It gives employees the basic organizational information they need to feel prepared for their new team, department, and job at work. The idea is to familiarize the worker with the employer environment to make it easy for the employee to settle in and learn their work fast.

Moreover, employee orientation is important because it informs employees about corporate standards and expectations, handles important paperwork, and addresses any questions or concerns.

Similarly, the Employers' Orientation Program (EOP) aims to educate FDW employers on their obligations and tasks. This is a required course for all first-time employers!

Why is taking the Programme mandatory?

The Singaporean government mandates all first-timers to attend orientation classes before their contracts take effect due to employers' unique rights and duties of foreign domestic workers.

As an employer, you must understand your responsibilities, including the price of hiring a worker.

Orientation is significant since it marks the beginning of the employee-employer relationship. The first day of work is crucial since new hires try to confirm their decision to accept your job offer.

New employees and their new managers and coworkers benefit from a smooth transition into a new role. A new employee can rapidly become productive if their expectations and tasks are properly communicated.

As part of an efficient onboarding process, a thorough and engaging orientation can also reduce new employee attrition due to misinterpreted or unmet expectations.

If you study its significance in detail, you will notice that it helps reduce domestic violence. Once the worker knows his/her rights and has a formal contract, she/he can stand up for herself if some contractual obligation is breached.

Costs and duration

You must take note that EOP is only compulsory for the first-time employer of a domestic helper.

Participants must be at least 21 years old and have a valid SingPass account to participate in the course.

However, it should be noted that the Ministry of Manpower has the authority to send employers to this course a second time at their discretion. This usually happens when an employer changes assistants frequently. So, if you change more than three FDWs in 12 months and want to apply for another maid, you will almost certainly need to enroll in the orientation session again.

The course is available in English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil and may be taken online (S$35) or classroom-based (S$30-60).

As for the online edition, you will receive the URL link in your mailbox immediately after payment, and you can start the course straight away! This link is valid for 180 days.

As far as the duration is concerned, the online course will take you 2 hours, while the on-site lecture will take you 3 hours.

During the program, you will find out what it means to be a domestic laborer's employer, how to understand your maid's racial identity, how to create and maintain a strong working relationship with your maid, and crucial domestic worker rules and regulations.

Employers who finish the course successfully will receive a certificate within two working days, which will be required for applying for the FDW work permit. You must complete the EOP at least 2 working days before submitting a Work Permit application to MOM.

How to register for EOP?

As mentioned before, you can take the EOP in a classroom setting or online. However, it is recommended that you attend the EOP in the classroom.

The case studies and personal experiences presented in class will help you better understand how to collaborate with your foreign domestic helper to achieve expectations.

You can register for a classroom EOP or for an EOP online training. 

Conclusion

There you have it; all the information you needed relating to the employer and foreign domestic workers orientation programmes in Singapore. Ensure that you register for the orientation before hiring an FDW, as it will pave a smooth way for you and your employee. Best of luck!