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Workers Choose to Return Home After MOM Intervention

Employment practices Foreign manpower
Employers under investigation

Some 420 workers (or 83%) of Raffles Contractors and Hokh Contract Services who had employment disputes with their employers have chosen to be repatriated home, after accepting a settlement offered by their employer's representatives.

2.   The remaining 66 workers, who have also had their claims settled, chose to seek new employment in Singapore.

3.   “MOM pro-actively intervened to revoke the work permits of these workers, because the employer had failed to pay the foreign worker levy. In doing so, we have prevented more workers from accumulating large salary arrears. Some other construction firms had offered to hire these workers, at prevailing market wages. However, many of those who chose to return home felt that the salaries offered were not high enough,” said Ms Jeanette Har, Deputy Director, Labour Relations and Workplaces Division.

4.   The Ministry reminds workers to promptly report salary arrears to MOM, as early intervention can help in speedier resolution of claims. Workers who have filed claims are advised to be patient while their claims are investigated and attempts made to resolve them. They should not themselves break the law, in the misguided belief that this will aid their case. MOM will not hesitate to refer claimants who behave in a disorderly, threatening or intimidating manner to be dealt with by the Police.

 

Advisory to Employers

5.   The Ministry reminds employers that they are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their foreign workers. The Ministry will take stern action against employers who fail to pay salaries on time, or fail to upkeep and maintain the foreign workers they have brought in. Errant employers could be fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both.

6.   MOM is currently investigating the two employers – Raffles Contractors and Hokh Contract Services – for failure to upkeep and maintain their workers. If found to have breached Work Permit Conditions, the employers will be prosecuted. Both companies have also been barred from hiring new foreign workers.