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Employees covered by Act entitled to paid Public Holidays

Employment practices
  • TODAY (03 September 2011) : Employees covered by Act entitled to paid Public Holidays
  • TODAY (23 August2011) : Are these companies contravening the Employment Act?

Employees covered by Act entitled to paid Public Holidays
- TODAY, 03 September 2011

We refer to Mr David Kwok Ng Kan’s letter “Are these companies contravening the Employment Act?” (TODAY, Voices, 23 August 2011).

2. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has spoken to Mr Kwok and advised him to get his cousin to contact us directly so that more information could be furnished to enable us to assist him on his specific employment-related concerns.

3. Employees covered by the Employment Act (EA) are entitled to paid public holidays. If the public holiday falls on a non-working day, the employer may either pay the employees for that holiday or give them a day off in substitution for that holiday.

4. Payment of the Annual Wage Supplement (AWS), commonly known as the 13th month payment is not prescribed by law. Employees are entitled to such payment if it is provided for in their employment contracts, or the collective agreements between the company and the union, if the company is unionised. If an employee covered under the EA is contractually entitled to receive AWS but does not receive it, he/she can file a claim with MOM.

5. Employees who wish to find out more about employment-related issues may refer to MOM's website at www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices


Are these companies contravening the Employment Act?
- TODAY, 23 August 2011

My cousin works as an engineer in a private firm. He is on a five-day week schedule and does not get overtime payment as he is considered a senior executive in the firm.

The company does not pay its employees the 13th month payment every year end. It also does not give employees time-off in lieu when a public holiday falls on a Saturday.

I understand that some companies practise such measures and would like to know whether or not they are in contravention of the Employment Act of Singapore.

If so, what could be done to redress the situation as most of these companies are not unionised.

Many employees do not complain either because they are ignorant of the Employment Act or that they are afraid to be victimised by the management.

Would the authorities care to comment?