(PRWEB) February 15, 2014

There are many foreigners in Wuhan who need to deal with issues like renting houses, looking for maids, car rental and more. Yesterday, MaxHouse International Services Co., Ltd. (http://www.maxhouse.net/), the first company that provides comprehensive services for foreigners in Wuhan, was founded.

MaxHouse (which is at Room 704, Huatong Mansion, Jiefang Park Road, Wuhan) mainly provides house rental, car rental, night life orientation, Mandarin training, immigration, city orientation, international school guide, blind date, employment and legal consulting, and business communication related services. The founder of this corporation, Mr. Max Yang, is a Wuhanese who has studied and worked in the USA for many years. He knows the inconvenience of living overseas, and this is the reason that he created the company to provide relocation services for the foreigners in Wuhan.

Now, many great corporations listed in the Fortune 500, such as General Motors, HSBC, Renault, Volvo and more, have set up their factories or offices in Wuhan. According to the Exit-Entry Administration Department of Wuhan City Public Security Bureau, the number of foreigners in Wuhan will reach 300,000 in 2014.

Larry Alonso, the manager of an Italian Company, Smartcard, says there are only few companies that provide personal services for foreigners in Wuhan. When he arrived in Wuhan, he faced many difficulties like where to live, what to eat and how to search for an apartment.

Mr. and Ms. Rommel Ivan now have to stay at a hotel with their children. Mr. Rommel complained that he was in need of an interpreter who can speak Spanish fluently, a reliable chauffeur, a maid who can speak English or Spanish, an international bilingual school and a cozy American-style house. But it was hard for them to find the related services in Wuhan.

Without the norms and standards of International services, expats can only find the related information on different personal websites on which its difficult for expat to distinguish whether the information is true or not. The websites are not so easy to be supervised as physical stores; the problems such as low quality translation, dispute of house sublease, etc. happen often.

It is reported that as soon as MaxHouse International Services Co., Ltd was founded, it received the orders from Honeywell Inc.; MaxHouse provides custom life-support services to Honeywell's senior executives working in Wuhan. According to the business administrative department of Jiangan District, because more and more expats live and work in Wuhan and the demand of foreign services is increasing, the internationalized Wuhan can only live up to its reputation by legalized and normalized foreign services.

More details at http://www.maxhouse.net/.

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MaxHouse, Wuhan's First Corporation That Provides Comprehensive Services for Foreigners, Was Founded

Burlington Post

A Milton woman employed by a maid service is facing charges after items were reported missing and fraudulent cheques were cashed in connection with a Burlington client.

A Burlington couple used a home cleaning service for approximately one year, without incident, until last month.

They noticed fraudulent cheques had been cashed from their bank account and jewelry and cash had gone missing from their bedroom.

Halton police utilized bank video surveillance to identify the suspect. The home cleaning service co-operated with the police and assisted in identifying the suspect.

Arruda Torres, 21, of Milton is charged with theft, fraud, forgery and possession of property by crime (under $5,000).

Halton police reminds residents, particularly seniors, to be alert and vigilant when dealing with in-home services and to call the police if anything suspicious occurs.

"Our elderly community members are at a high risk for victimization and anytime we can take steps such as this to hold people accountable for preying on seniors we prevent future victimization," says Det.-Sgt, Ron Hansen of the Halton Police.

Anyone with information on any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at http://www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting Tip201 with your message to 274637 (crimes).

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Milton cleaning maid charged in connection with Burlington theft, fraud

NEW DELHI: India and the US still seem locked in a battle for righteousness over the Khobragade issue as the strategic partners pick up the pieces after the bitter standoff, bringing the bilateral engagement back on track by scheduling the energy dialogue next month.

With the US authorities refusing to withdraw visa fraud charges against diplomat Devyani Khobragade, Indian authorities are proceeding with the pursuit of tax issues related to American School employment contracts and are also closely following contracts entered into by US diplomats here with their domestic helps.

One such contract between a Mumbai-based US diplomat and his Filipina maid, a copy of which is with TOI, suggests that the maid is being paid less than $3 per hour. The minimum hourly wage in the US is $7.25.

According to her lawyer, Khobragade actually paid $9.75 per hour to her maid in New York, as promised by her in the employment contract, in the form of the amount paid here to her husband and also cash payments and "permissible deductions'' for various services in the US.

The US state department says that the salary paid to local staff of US diplomats is based on "prevailing wage rates and compensation practices''. Unlike the contract between Khobragade and her maid Sangeeta Richard, though, this one between the US official and his maid doesn't carry any stipulation of hours of work. The contract, which came into effect on December 1 last year, says the Filipina maid would work "six full workdays per week'' at a salary of $458 per month. Even at only eight hours per day, it is perhaps safe to assume she works well over 40 hours every week.

Authorities here believe the Khobragade contract was more favourably inclined towards the maid also because it restricted work to five days and 40 hours per week. The Filipina also has only five holidays apart from a 12-day annual leave and no ticket for home leave during the period of three years. On the other hand, all domestic helps going with Indian diplomats are entitled to a return air ticket after completing a year's stay abroad.

There was no response from the US embassy here on questions about the contract between the US diplomat and the Filipina maid. Like Richard, the Filipina maid too has rent-free accommodation, free internet and food allowance. She also has "appropriate contributions'' to the Philippine Social Security System. While the Filipina maid has medical insurance, Richard had "100 per cent'' medical cover under which all such expenses were borne by the Indian government.

In case of any negligence, the contract with the Filipina maid also specifies that all such issues will be decided by the employer only. There is no option of any recourse to local courts or US courts or even courts in the Philippines.

CNN reported in 2009, quoting a state department report, that many local staff of US diplomats across the world were being paid less than a dollar per day. The state department-mandated contract between Khobragade and Richard projected an average of 40 working hours per week (approximately a salary of $1,560 per month at an hourly wage of $9.75). Around $560 was given in the form of Rs 30,000 transferred to her husband's account, another $625 in cash and remaining in deductions.

Meanwhile, income tax department has also begun a probe into alleged tax violations by the American Embassy School here. "Once the preliminary information is gathered, the tax department would be taking a view on issuing notices to the authorities concerned. Also, the CBDT would be informed as this is not a regular case and involves relations between two countries," an agency report quoting government sources said.

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US diplomat in Mumbai pays his Filipina maid less than $3 per hour

India and the US still seem locked in a battle for righteousness over the Khobragade issue as the strategic partners pick up the pieces after the bitter standoff, bringing the bilateral engagement back on track by scheduling the energy dialogue next month.

With the US authorities refusing to withdraw visa fraud charges against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, Indian authorities are proceeding with the pursuit of tax issues related to American school employment contracts and are also closely following contracts entered into by US diplomats here with their domestic helps.

One such contract between a Mumbai based US diplomat and his Filipino maid, a copy of which is with this paper, suggests that the maid is being paid less than $ 3 per hour. The minimum hourly wage in the US is $ 7.25.

According to her lawyer, Khobragade actually paid $ 9.75 per hour to her maid in New York, as promised by her in the employment contract, in the form of the amount paid here to her husband and also cash payments and "permissible deductions" for various services in the US.

The US State Department says that the salary paid to local staff of US diplomats is based on "prevailing wage rates and compensation practices". Unlike the contract between Khobragade and her maid Sangeeta Richard though, this one between the US official and his maid doesn't carry any stipulation of hours of work. The contract, which came into effect December 1 last year, says that the Filipino maid would work "six full workdays per week" at a salary of $ 458 per month. Even at only 8 hours per day, it is perhaps safe to assume she works well over 40 hours every week.

Authorities here believe that the Khobragade contract was more favourably inclined towards the maid also because it restricted work to 5 days and 40 hours per week. The Filipino also has only 5 holidays apart from a 12-day annual leave and no ticket for home leave during the period of 3 years. On the other hand all domestics going with Indian diplomats are entitled to a return airticket after completing a year's stay abroad.

There was no response from the US embassy here on questions about the contract between the US diplomat and the Filipino maid. Like Richard, the Filipino maid too has rent-free accommodation, free internet and food allowance. She also has "appropriate contributions" to Filipino Social Security System. While the Filipino maid has medical insurance, Richard had a "100 per cent" medical cover under which all such expenses were borne by the Indian government.

In case of any negligence, the contract with the Filipino maid also specifies that all such issues will be decided by the employer only. There is no option of any recourse to local courts or US courts or even courts in the Philippines.

CNN reported in 2009, quoting a State Department report, that many local staff of US diplomats across the world were being paid less than a dollar per day. The State Department mandated contract between Khobragade and Richard projected an average of 40 working hours per week (approximately a salary of $ 1560 per month at an hourly wage of $ 9.75). Around $ 560 was given in the form of Rs 30,000 transferred to her husband's account, another $ 625 in cash and remaining in deductions.

Meanwhile, Income Tax department has also begun a probe into alleged tax violations by the American Embassy school here. "Once the preliminary information is gathered, the tax department would be taking a view on issuing notices to the authorities concerned. Also, the CBDT would be informed as this is not a regular case and involves relations between two countries," an agency report quoting government sources said. As per the information available with the government, several teachers at the American Embassy School were working "illegally", in violation of both tax laws and their visa status.

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Khobragade on boil again: Whose maids are better off?

Apartment For Rent: 200 WATER ST. 12N NEW YORK, NY $2650
http://pvt.fm/pub/24F4EA777AB5 OVERSIZED LOFT CONVERTING INTO 1 BED WITH FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS AND HIGH CEILINGS. FEATURING HARDWOOD FLOORING, PASSTHROUGH...

By: TheBouklisGroup

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Apartment For Rent: 200 WATER ST. 12N NEW YORK, NY $2650 - Video

Sandy DeTar and her employees get a peek into their customers lives that is different from most other business people. While other employers go off a resume and conversation with the people they work with, DeTar and her staff are in residents homes.

DeTar and her husband, Curt, the owners of a Molly Maid franchise in Sparks, are in the business of housekeeping and find the service-oriented career is an opportunity to be their own boss while providing some much-needed help for customers who may be more concerned about keeping food on the table than keeping their house squeaky clean.

Its interesting, DeTar said. During the holidays you get to see all the homes decorated and its a nice sight. But you do get a glimpse into a wide variety of living situations.

DeTar personally consults with customers who can have all of part of their house or apartment dusted, vacuumed, cleaned, scrubbed, polished and straightened as needed. Employees work on baseboards, fixtures, appliances and floors of all surfaces. DeTar declined to give a range of prices because competitive nature of the industry, but said she determines her prices based on the amount of time needed to complete the requested cleaning. Cleanings can be on a one-time basis or fixed on a monthly or weekly basis, depending on need.

She has nine full-time employees and one part-time, on-call person to cover during vacations or special days.

We have (customers with) very large homes that might be two-level and they want their whole house cleaned, she said. We will clean anyone who needs and requests for it. No job is too much.

The only impediment to Molly Maid accepting a customer would be for health reasons, she said.

Were not going to clean a home that would not be safe for our employees, whether its a health or hygiene issue, DeTar said. Theres rarely an incident where that happens, but we would not go in and clean a house where theres drug paraphernalia or a blood or safety hazard.

The job is not without its challenges, DeTar shared.

I had done an estimate on the house and the owners said they would pick up the house, DeTar said. But when we got there, it was totally in disarray and there were kids toys and clothes, dishes in the sink, the stoves were not cleaned up and had spills.

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Being a 'Molly'

The Fabulous Maid Services

By: TheFabulous Maid

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The Fabulous Maid Services - Video

(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) An Omani techie has tracked down and rescued his runaway maid who was lured away by another man who offered her more money but then forced her into prostitution.

The senior IT professional spoke to Muscat Daily in detail about the incident which happened after his family along with the maid returned to their home in Mawaleh on January 8 after a New Year holiday in Malaysia.

When the maid disappeared a day later, Mahmoud (name changed) said he was 'surprised and angered'. But then, the maid's phone data usage and contacts helped him track her down in five days.

''It was concern and a sense of responsibility that motivated me. Although she betrayed our trust and love, I thought that she may have been trapped,'' said Mahmoud.

According to him, the 28 year old maid said that an Asian man in his 30s lured her with 'better pay and a better life' but forced her into prostitution. The maid said she knew him for four months during which the two remained in constant touch through texts and phone calls.

While tracking her down, Mahmoud first gathered information from other maids known to her. Using the photo of a man he found on her phone, he took help from shopkeepers, delivery boys and barbers in the area to locate him.

''Once I had collected enough information, I learnt a bit of his language and tracked him down with the help of a barber in the locality he lived.''

Mahmoud said he initially met the man posing as a customer, but then 'sensed danger and escaped'. ''The next time, I took help from another person and caught him,'' he said.

Mahmoud said the maid was repentant upon finding out the truth about the man. ''He made false promises about getting me several part-time jobs to earn more than what my sponsor paid me,'' he quoted the maid as saying.

''The man pursued me for four months and I would talk to him while shopping for groceries and essentials or while out throwing trash. He would visit me whenever the family was not at home and give me money. I liked him and was tempted by the money.''

Excerpt from:
Omani techie tracks down runaway maid, saves her from prostitution

Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) January 29, 2014

Laugh Staff, a professional speech writing company made up of comedians; is proud to announce they are extending their speech writing services to help graduates throughout the country.

Since their start in March of 2012, Laugh Staff has been receiving a growing number of requests to do speeches outside of just Best Man & Maid of Honor Speeches (their specialty). To help meet the needs of their customers they've decided to start answering the call by offering an exclusive graduation speech package. For only $129.99, a valedictorian or class president can hire a professional comedian to work one-on-one with them to write a speech that will be hilarious and remembered for years to come.

With YouTube, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, & just about all social media, the pressure to perform at a graduation is intense, said co-founder Cameron Amigo. We want the students to be able to enjoy the day without the stress of writing a funny speech on their own. Were like the tutor they never had.

For more information about Laugh Staff, Inc. visit http://www.laughstaff.com or email camigo(at)laughstaff(dot)com.

About Laugh Staff, Inc.:

Laugh Staff, Inc. was founded in 2012 by a team of comedians and writers in Cleveland, Ohio. Laugh Staff helps their clients with best man speeches as well as providing best man speech examples on their blog. They assist best men and maids of honor in speech-editing, speech writing, and provide training on speech delivery. Recognizing the importance of the big day, Laugh Staff's professional comedians work with best men and maids of honor to ensure they make a lasting impression.

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Laugh Staff Announces New Client Services for Graduation Speeches

Q: My New Years gift to myself is to hire a maid service. However, Im really not sure how to find the right one for what I can afford and the kinds of questions to ask when interviewing. Any suggestions?

Henrietta Homeowner

Dear Mrs. Homeowner: Obviously, my first recommendation is the same I offer in a variety of circumstances and that is to ask friends and colleagues for referrals. Just be certain your peeps know at least some of the specifics you require, as their standards may be different from yours.

Cleaning services have been seeing a record increase in business, whether theyre self-employed housekeepers to nationally-franchised chains. Check out the Association of Residential Cleaning Services Internationals (ARCSI) list of requirements, such as liability insurance and satisfaction guarantees. The website (arcsi.org) also includes a list of interview questions, including but not limited to: Are you insured (ask for a copy of their insurance certificate)? Do you carry Workmans Comp? Do you provide criminal background checks on all employees? Is a trained crew leader in my home supervising at all times and does this person speak English?

1. Many services whirl through several houses in a single day. Unfortunately, this can lead to inattention to detail or, simply, just bad cleaning. All companies should promise and provide a detailed checklist. This should include, for example, wiping down every bathroom surface, scrubbing the tub and toilet, as well as cleaning the counters and mopping the floors with appropriate cleaners. Since housecleaning can be a transient business with a huge annual turnover, always ask for employees whove been with the company for at least six months. (Along this same line, when interviewing services upfront, ask for five references from customers whove used them for at least six months.)

2. Dont assume every worker knows how to clean. Before you sign on the dotted line, ask about the training the company provides. At the very minimum, ARCP says the company should offer at least three days of intensive training to new hires, covering such basics as using the latest equipment or the correct protocol for cleaning wood, marble, tile, etc. floors. Once you e decided upon a service, be sure and go over exactly what you require that may be somewhat different than the norm. For example, I tend to be very finicky about how I spend my money: if the baseboards arent dusted regularly, I am not a happy camper. So if you require certain chores that may not be on the maids list, speak up beforehand. (Most services do have monthly and bimonthly lists that they and you check off on completion. Whether you like what theyve done may be another story, however.)

3. Be prepared to pay a hefty sum for the first clean. While certain factors impact cost, such as location, home size, special requirements, and so forth, the average cost for a twice monthly clean averages between $75-$125. However, that first time can cost you dearly, particularly if youve never used a service before and this agency insists upon a deep clean. While you may want your heavy furniture moved each time to dust and vacuum behind the pieces, it probably wont happen and still maintain reasonable prices. For the deep clean, though, this may be a prerequisite and, along with a few more extras, can jack up the price two or three-fold! Be prepared.

(To be continued)

Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. She may be reached at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com.

about Ellen Phillips...

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Consumer Watch: How to pick maid without getting taken to cleaners