THE HUMAN+ STANDARD:

The Correct Ethics for Maid Pros and Employers in the Filipino Home**

By the Human+ Editorial Team

In the Filipino home, few relationships are as intimate — or as misunderstood — as the one between families and the household professionals who care for their space, their children, and often their daily rhythm.

And yet, for all its importance, this relationship has almost no formal rulebook.

Tradition shaped much of it. Assumptions shaped the rest.

But today, with tens of thousands of families relying on professionally screened Maid Pros and Yaya Pros, the question has become urgent:

What exactly is the correct ethical standard between household professionals and employers?

Human+ offers a modern, respectful, dignity-first answer.

Below is the ethical framework our team believes every Filipino home deserves.

1. Dignity is the Baseline — Not a Bonus

A Maid Pro is not “help.”

She is a professional, screened, trained, and entrusted with essential work.

Ethical households uphold:

✔ Respectful language

No shouting. No belittling. No humiliating jokes.

Names are used — never “Inday,” “Yaya lang,” or other demeaning labels.

✔ Clear, human boundaries

A Maid Pro is not a 24/7 servant.

She is a working person with a job description, rest hours, privacy, and limits.

✔ Food, rest, and sleep are 

non-negotiable

Ethics begin with basic humanity.

2. Fairness Must Be Structural, Not Emotional

In many homes, treatment depends on moods, seasons, or “pakikisama.”

But fairness cannot rely on emotions.

Ethical employers provide:

  • RA 10361–aligned documentation

  • Clear job descriptions

  • Written schedules

  • Proper wages

  • Rest days

  • Overtime clarity

  • Transparent expectations

When rules are clear, respect becomes objective, not emotional.

3. Privacy and Boundaries Protect Everyone

Household work happens inside an intimate space — where boundaries matter most.

The ethical standard:

Private life stays private.

Employers do not access personal phones, messages, or belongings.

Workers likewise respect:

  • confidential family matters

  • marital or relationship issues

  • financial information

  • sensitive documents

Respect is mutual. Boundaries are symmetrical.

4. Communication Should Be Calm, Direct, and Clarified

The biggest cause of conflict in households?

Not attitude.

Not skill.

Not experience.

Miscommunication.

The Human+ rule:

Say expectations calmly, early, and clearly — not during anger.

Workers can also respectfully clarify:

  • “Paano niyo po gusto gawin ito?”

  • “Pwede po ba nating i-review ang schedule?”

Communication is not a sign of conflict —

it is a sign of professionalism.

5. Employers Lead with Responsibility — Not Power

A household is not a corporate office.

Employers are not “bosses” in the traditional sense; they are leaders of a shared living environment.

Ethical leadership includes:

  • Modeling calm behavior

  • Explaining decisions

  • Ensuring safety

  • Showing appreciation

  • Setting a tone of fairness

Because when the employer is ethical, the home becomes ethical.

6. Maid Pros Must Uphold Professional Conduct

Ethics is not one-sided.

Professionals also have responsibilities.

Ethical Maid Pros practice:

✔ Honesty

✔ Clean work habits

✔ Confidentiality

✔ Punctuality

✔ Respect for household rules

✔ Proper care of children or elders

✔ Responsibility with keys, money, and valuables

Good work is ethical work.

Professional work is ethical work.

7. The Relationship Should Never Become “Family… But Not Really”

Many households say:

“Treat namin siya like family.”

But Filipino families also sometimes overwork, underpay, or emotionally burden each other — unintentionally.

The ethical framing is better:

Warm like family.

Clear like professionals.

Warmth is human.

Structure keeps everyone safe.

8. Conflict Resolution Must Be Guided, Not Emotional

When tension happens — and it will — the ethical response is not shouting or punishment.

The Human+ standard is:

  1. Calm conversation

  2. Clear explanation

  3. Agreement on next steps

  4. If unresolved, contact agency support

  5. Mediate with dignity and documentation

Human problems require human handling — not emotional outbursts.

9. Both Sides Should Aim for Mutual Stability

A home is stable when:

  • the employer feels secure

  • the worker feels safe

  • the relationship feels predictable

Ethics is not just about avoiding harm.

It’s about creating an atmosphere where everyone can stay long-term.

10. Ethics Is Not an Option — It Is the Future of Household Work

The world is evolving:

Australia, Europe, Singapore, and Canada now enforce dignity-first household labor policies.

The Philippines is slowly catching up.

Human+ pushes us forward by insisting on a simple truth:

A home with ethics becomes a home with trust.

A home with trust becomes a home with peace.

THE FINAL WORD

Human+ ethics is built on three pillars:

Clarity. Structure. Dignity.

When employers follow ethical standards,

and Maid Pros uphold professional conduct,

the Filipino home becomes safer, calmer, and more sustainable.

This is the future of household work.

And MaidProvider.ph is helping build it — one ethical home at a time.

MaidProvider.ph — The Philippine Maid Brand

Human+ is our house standard for dignity in the Filipino home.

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