Four Workers Taken To Task For Filing Fraudulent Claims Under Work Injury Compensation Act
Four workers have been prosecuted and convicted over the past six months for making fraudulent claims under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA). Irulan Veerasekaran, Li Zhenlong, Salim Hossain Badar Uddin and Mamud Abdul Hoque were each sentenced to between 3 to 8 weeks of imprisonment for knowingly making fraudulent claims under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)1. For details on the four cases, please refer to Annex A.
Upholding the integrity of WICA
2. "The WICA is a no-fault system designed to compensate employees who are injured in the course of employment. However, in these cases, the workers in question abused the WIC claims process. They have also wasted the time and resources of MOM, which could have been deployed to help workers in genuine need. MOM will not hesitate to take action against false claimants who abuse this system. Those who make fraudulent claims may be fined of up to $15,000 or jailed up to 12 months or both under the WICA," said Mr Clarence Tang, Director, Work Injury Compensation Department, MOM.
Tripartite support of the WICA
3. "Some employers worry that since the WICA is a no-fault system, it works primarily to the benefit of workers. MOM's prosecution of the four workers for fraudulent WIC claims should be assurance for employers that workers who misuse the WIC system will be taken to task by MOM," noted Mr Koh Juan Kiat, Executive Director of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).
4. Mdm Halimah Yacob, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Deputy Secretary General added, "Since the WICA took effect from 2008, workers and unions have generally given feedback that WICA now provides better protection and benefits. For WICA to work effectively, we need both employers and workers to understand the provisions well and to behave responsibly. Sometimes, it is the employer or their insurers who will drag the process. While being a no-fault system, the WICA should not be abused by workers, as in the case of the four workers who were taken to task by MOM. Such fraudulent cases affect the claims of genuine workers as they put a strain on the system when the authorities have to divert precious resources in order to investigate them."
Employers reminded to report work accidents to MOM on time
5. Employers are also required under the Act to report work accidents to MOM within 10 days of the occurrence of the accident where it results in the death of an employee or renders an employee unfit for work for more than 3 consecutive days or results in him being hospitalised for at least 24 hours. Non-reporting/late reporting of work accident is a prosecutable offence under WICA. If convicted, first-time offenders face a maximum penalty of a $5,000 fine while repeat offenders face a fine of up to $10,000 and a jail term up to 6 months.
ANNEX
(1) First Case
Summary of Investigation Findings
On 7 January 2009, Irulan Veerasekaran, an Indian national, filed for a Work Injury Compensation Claim. The accused claimed that on 12 December 2008 while doing gardening work at a condominium one of his co-workers cut his left thumb with the cutter, resulting in a severe cut to his thumb. MOM investigations found that all co-workers were having their afternoon tea-break when the accused emerged with a cut thumb. Investigations further revealed that the injury was self-inflicted by the accused.
Prosecution action
MOM charged the worker under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA, Chapter 354) for fraudulently making a claim under the Act which he knew to be untrue. The worker was sentenced to 8 weeks’ jail on 1 October 2009.
(2) Second Case
Summary of Investigation Findings
On 21 April 2009 Salim Hossain Badar Uddin, a Bangladeshi national, filed for a Work Injury Compensation Claim. The accused claimed that after completing his work on 10 May 2008, he was ferried back to his dormitory on the company lorry. As he was crossing the road to reach his dormitory, he was hit by a car. MOM investigations found that the accused was not working that day but chit-chatting with his co-workers opposite his dormitory. The accused company timecards also confirmed that he did not work on that day.
Prosecution action
MOM charged the worker under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA, Chapter 354) for fraudulently making a claim under the Act which he knew to be untrue. The worker was sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail on 13 October 2009.
(3) Third Case
Summary of Investigation Findings
On 24 April 2009, Mamud Abdul Hoque, a Bangladeshi national filed for a Work Injury Compensation Claim. The accused claimed that on 6 February 2009, he suffered a hip injury when he tripped over metal wires on the ground while working. MOM investigations found that the accused injury was sustained from a fall he had before reporting to work, whilst resting at a multi-storey carpark.
Prosecution action
MOM charged the worker under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA, Chapter 354) for fraudulently making a claim under the Act which he knew to be untrue. The worker was sentenced to 5 weeks' jail on 02 November 2009.
(4) Fourth Case
Summary of Investigation Findings
On 9 June 2009, Li Zhenlong, a PRC national filed for a work injury compensation claim. The accused claimed that on 11 May 2009 he broke his left wrist while working for his employer. MOM investigations revealed that the injury wasn’t sustained during the course of work, but during a basketball game. The accused subsequently admitted that he had lied about the accident.
Prosecution action
MOM charged the worker under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA, Chapter 354) for fraudulently making a claim under the Act which he knew to be untrue. The worker was sentenced to 3 weeks’ jail on 02 March 2010.