General Information about Household Help:
If you have never been able to afford a maid or a cook, this may be your chance. Indeed, the range of possibilities for help here in Egypt is very wide. Full-time and part-time household help is available, inexpensive, and considered necessary to most foreigners. This help could be a housemaid, a cook, a driver, a nanny, a gardener, someone to help with the laundry or to do the ironing.

How to Find Household Staff:
One of the best ways is to ask friends and neighbors. They in turn can ask their household help if they know anyone who is interested.  Find out if you can take over the domestic staff employed by your predecessors or the previous tenant. Friends may be able to put you in touch with someone who is leaving and whose help may soon be available.   You can also find listings on the CSA bulletin board.

Checklist of Duties
Once you have decided that you do, in fact, want to hire one or more people to work in your home on a part or full-time basis, clarify the tasks that you want to be done. The more clearly you are on your priorities, childcare, soaking etc., the easier it will be to find the help you need. Draw up a checklist of the tasks you wish to have done.
In addition, make a list of restrictions on help. Some employers prefer that the help does not use the TV, stereo or telephone. Do you want hem/her answering or take messages in your absence? Will you allow breaks, and if so, of what duration? Will you provide any beverages? Are friends allowed to be in the house in your absence? The clearer you are in the beginning, the less likely it will be for misunderstandings to occur in the future. It is often very difficult to change a routine once it has been established. You are ahead of the game if you spell out exactly what you want from the very beginning.

During the Interview
When interviewing the potential employee, it is important to outline the duties you will require. In addition the following points should be discussed: Prior Experience and References. If there are no references, be suspicious. References can verify honesty, reliability, areas of competence and sometimes salary. How long the applicant worked for other families and reasons for leaving could be also an indication. If the employer is still living here it is advisable to contact him.

Working Conditions
Identity Card
Request a copy of your employee’s identity card (Bata’a) or passport. This has the employee’s correct name, address and picture. Keep this in your files for future reference should there be any problem.

Days Off, Holidays
Egypt has a six day work week but many household employees work five days only. Establish working hours and days off firmly at the onset. Make sure you know if the applicant has other jobs and insist that your hours are not to be cut so your employee can go on to the next job. Household help expect to get major religious holidays off and flexibility for occasional personal days off (insist upon prior notice). 

Bonuses, perks, salary advances
The standard bonus is one month salary divided among the two yearly Muslim holidays: Eid, Big Bairam or Coptic Christmas. However, keep a record of when it is paid and how much is given. It is not obligatory to give severance pay in Egypt. Once again, this is an individual decision, but the accepted rate is one month salary for every year worked.

Trial Period
It is wise to hire people on a two week trial period after which you may want to hire them permanently.

Employer responsibilities

 

Employee	Times Per Week	Hours Per Day	Monthly Salary (approximately)
Egyptian	3-4	4-5	LE 700 - 900
Egyptian	5-6	4-5	LE 900 - 1000
Filipino / Sri Lankan	2	4	LE 1200 / $200
Filipino / Sri Lankan	5	6	LE 3000 / $500
Filipino / Sri Lankan	Live - in	8+	LE 4200 / $700
Ethiopian	5	7	LE 3000 / $500
Sudanese (male)	5	7	LE 3000 / $500

Please note this list is not intended to discriminate against any nationality, CSA is merely presenting a rough salary guide based on what existing expatriates currently pay their household staff.

 

 

 

 

 

Bawab (Watchman)
Ask your landlord about the services you can expect from the bawab. His salary will either be paid by the landlord or will be split amongst the tenants in the building.  Ask your landlord for details.  A bawab is there to maintain and watch over the property for the landlord. Usual duties include: sweeping and cleaning the stairs, windows and building entrances, replacing light bulbs, carrying your groceries, keeping the parking area clean and free for the occupants’ cars, washing cars, replacing gas bottles, and bringing you your mail, including newspapers.

Salary Guidelines for Bawab:
Even when the bawab is paid by the landlord, or if the amount split between tenants is, for ex. LE30/month, and especially when the bawab does a variety of tasks for tenants, some people elect to pay the bawab an additional amount monthly.

Rubbish Collector
Rubbish is collected every day by the pick up tucks. The rubbish collector will collect his fees once a month or he might be paid by your bawab or landlord. When you move into your flat, ask about this. Normal fee: LE10 – 15 per month