What Responsibilities Should Be Discussed Before Deployment?

Families and helpers rarely fall out over big issues. They fall out over small things nobody said out loud: who washes the car, whether cooking for guests is included, what time the day ends. Writing the role down protects both sides.

Daily tasks

List what must happen every day, in rough order. For example: sweeping and mopping, dusting, utensils, kitchen cleaning, laundry, folding, bathroom cleaning on set days. For a cook, list meals, number of people and dietary needs. For a baby caretaker or nanny, list feeding, bathing, play and nap routines.

Weekly and occasional tasks

Separate tasks that happen less often: fridge cleaning, balcony washing, changing bedsheets, cupboard organising. Saying "every Saturday" is clearer than "sometimes".

Working hours and breaks

State the start and end time. Maidvy arranges daytime help on 6, 8, 9 or 10-hour schedules, and 24-hour live-in help. For live-in help, agree sleeping time and daily rest breaks too. A live-in arrangement is residence with agreed working hours, not round-the-clock work.

Weekly off and leave

Agree the weekly off day, how festival leave works, and how much notice each side will give for planned leave. For live-in helpers, discuss visits home in advance.

Salary and payment

Agree the monthly salary, the payment date and the method. The salary is mutually agreed between the family and the helper based on experience, duties, hours, location and agreement. It is separate from Maidvy's service fee. More in agency fee vs worker salary.

House rules

• Use of phone during working hours.
• Visitors, especially for live-in staff.
• Rooms or cupboards that are private.
• Handling of cash, keys and deliveries.
• Food: what the helper may eat, and when (for daytime and live-in roles).

What is outside the role

Being clear about exclusions is as important as listing duties. Under Maidvy's service terms, helpers are not expected to provide medical or nursing care, carry out unsafe or hazardous tasks, work at multiple homes, or work excessive hours without rest. Families must not withhold a helper's identity documents. If you later want to add tasks, discuss them with the helper and Maidvy first; adding duties without agreement can affect replacement eligibility under the Replacement Policy.

Duty-sheet template

Section	What to write
Role	e.g. Full-time maid, 9 hours
Hours	Start, end, lunch and tea breaks
Daily tasks	Listed in order
Weekly tasks	Task and day
Weekly off and leave	Day off, festivals, notice period
Salary	Amount, payment date, method
House rules	Phone, visitors, private areas, keys
Not included	Tasks outside the role
Emergency contacts	Family member and helper's contact

Review after the first month

After a few weeks, sit down together. Ask what is working and what is hard. Adjust the duty sheet if both sides agree. Helpers who feel heard tend to stay longer; see tips for a respectful working relationship.

If you hire through Maidvy, your Relationship Manager can help with these conversations during your tenure. Support is available on WhatsApp and phone, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 18:00.

Role-specific items to include

For childcare roles

Write the child's routine: wake-up, meals, naps, play, outdoor time, screen rules and bedtime. List allergies, the paediatrician's number and who may collect the child. State clearly that medicines are given only as parents instruct.

For cooks

List meals, number of people, cuisine, dietary rules and whether the cook also cleans the kitchen. Agree how groceries are planned and recorded.

For elder care attendants

Describe mobility needs, bathing and toileting help, meal timings, walks and medicine reminders as instructed by the family. Note that attendants provide non-medical support only.

For live-in helpers

Add sleeping time, rest breaks, visitors, time out on the weekly off and use of common areas after hours.

Sharing the duty sheet

Share the duty sheet before the joining date, in a language the helper reads comfortably, or read it out together. Keep a copy each. If you hire through Maidvy, share it with your advisor too, so the allocation team can match profiles to the real role.

For reference, Maidvy's service fee is ₹15,000 + 18% GST = ₹17,700 on the Daytime Plan and ₹25,000 + 18% GST = ₹29,500 on the 24×7 Live-In Plan. The helper's monthly salary is always separate and agreed between the family and the helper.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a written agreement with my maid?

A simple written duty sheet listing tasks, hours, weekly off and salary is strongly recommended. It protects both the family and the helper.

Can I add duties after the helper joins?

Only with the helper's agreement and, if hired through Maidvy, after discussing it with Maidvy. Adding duties without agreement can affect replacement eligibility.

What tasks should not be given to a domestic helper?

Medical or nursing care, unsafe or hazardous tasks, work at other homes, and excessive hours without rest are outside the role.

Should the duty sheet include salary?

Yes. Recording the agreed salary, payment date and method prevents misunderstandings later.