Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts, 36th Storey, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963. Tel: 3757794/5
____________________________________________________________
From Jan to Apr 97, the Ministry of Labour prosecuted 27 employers and abettors in Court for the illegal deployment and employment of foreign domestic workers. All were fined for the offences, ranging from $1,500 to $12,540.
The Ministry reminds employers of foreign domestic workers that it is illegal to deploy their workers to work in occupations not specified in their work permits or for other employers.
The Ministry will prosecute both the legal and illegal employers of the foreign domestic workers in Court for the offence. The penalty for illegal deployment of a foreign domestic worker is a fine of up to $5,000.
In addition, the security deposit of $5,000 furnished by the employer will be forfeited for the infringement of the conditions in the security bond. The employer and his spouse will also be permanently barred from employing foreign workers in future.
The penalty for employing a foreign worker without a valid work permit is a minimum fine equivalent to two years of the foreign worker levy and a maximum fine up to four years' levy, or imprisonment up to one year or both. Abettors of the illegal employment offence will be liable for the same penalty as the errant employer upon conviction. For the second and subsequent conviction, the errant employer will be punished with a mandatory jail sentence of one to 12 months in addition to the above fines.
Encl: Case summaries of the illegal deployment of foreign domestic workers are at Annex.
On 3 Sep 96, the Ministry's Labour Inspectorate conducted an inspection at Eng Kee Fresh Coconut Milk Supply, Blk 1018 Woodlands Industrial Park D, #01-344, S(738769), upon receiving information that a foreign worker was working there without a valid work permit.
The Ministry's investigations revealed that the Indonesian worker was issued with a work permit to work as a domestic worker for Mdm Tan Siah Liew of Blk 250 Yishun Ave 9, #02-207, S(760250). Since the foreign domestic worker's first day of work, Tan Siah Liew deployed the worker to work at her factory, Eng Kee Fresh Coconut Milk Supply. The worker was deployed to work in the factory from 7 am to 9.30 pm. Her duties at the factory included cutting coconuts, operating the machines to produce coconut juice and packing the coconut juice into packets. Apart from the work in the factory, she also had to do household chores at Tan Siah Liew's home.
On 17 Apr 97, Tan Siah Liew was charged for deploying her foreign domestic worker to work in an occupation which was not in accordance with the conditions of her work permit. She pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $5,000 (the maximum penalty provided for the offence).
On 3 Dec 96, the Ministry's Labour Inspectorate conducted an inspection at Hong Joo Yek Trading Company, Blk 39 Bendemeer Road, #01-1206, S(330039) upon receiving information that a foreign worker was working there without a valid work permit.
The Ministry's investigations revealed that the Filipino worker was issued with a work permit to work as a domestic worker for Aw Hock Bin. Since Jan 94, Aw Hock Bin deployed the foreign domestic worker to work at her stationery shop, Hong Yek Trading Company. The worker was deployed to the stationery shop as a shop assistant from 10 am to 7 pm daily. Her duties at the shop included packing stationery, attending to customers and cleaning the shop. Apart from the work at the shop, she had also to do household chores at Aw Hock Bin's residence at Yishun.
On 29 Apr 97, Aw Hock Bin was charged for deploying his foreign domestic worker to work in an occupation which was not in accordance with the conditions of her work permit. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $5,000.
On 14 Oct 96, the Ministry's Labour Inspectorate conducted an inspection at a foodstall at Blk 105, #01-137, Yishun Ring Road, S(760105), and found a foreign worker working at the foodstall without a valid work permit.
The Ministry's investigations revealed that the Filipino worker was issued with a work permit to work as a domestic worker for Lim Ser Chai of Blk 337 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, #08-2027, S(560337). Since her first day of work, Lim Ser Chai deployed her to work for his niece, Mdm Lim Chor Joo of Blk 149 Yishun Ring Road, S(760105). In addition to working as a domestic worker for Mdm Lim Chor Joo, the worker was also required to work at Mdm Lim Chor Joo's foodstall at Blk 105 Yishun Ring Road.
Mdm Lim Chor Joo was charged for employing the foreign worker without a valid work permit. Lim Ser Chai was charged for abetting Mdm Lim Chor Joo in the illegal employment. They pleaded guilty to the charges on 17 Apr 97 and was fined $11,880 each.
On 9 Dec 96, the Ministry's Labour Inspectorate conducted an inspection at Eng Ann Traders, Blk 204, Bedok South Ave 3, #01-407 and found two foreign workers working without valid work permits.
The Ministry's investigations revealed that the two Filipino workers were issued with work permits to work as domestic workers. The employers were Mdm Tan Ah Pong of Blk 204, Bedok South Ave 3, #01-407, and her son, Ho See Kai of 6 Jalan Grisek, S(419432) respectively.
Mdm Tan Ah Pong was managing the provision shop business at Eng Ann Traders. Since Dec 92, she had deployed her foreign domestic worker to work at the provision shop as a shop assistant. Ho See Kai started to deploy his foreign domestic worker to work at the provision shop in Feb 93. The two foreign domestic workers worked for 7 to 12 hours at the shop everyday. Their duties at the shop included arranging goods, packing the items, attending to customers and shifting goods etc.
Mdm Tan Ah Pong and Ho See Kai were charged for deploying their foreign workers to work in occupations which were not in accordance with the conditions of their work permits. They pleaded guilty to the charges on 8 Apr 97. They were fined $5,000 each.
On 9 Jul 96, the Ministry's Labour Inspectorate conducted an inspection at Oh's Farm Catering, Blk 1012 Aljunied Ave 3, #01-29, S(389935), and found a foreign worker working without a valid work permit.
The Ministry's investigations revealed that the Filipino worker was issued with a work permit to work as a domestic worker for Low Kah Fook of Blk 127 Bishan Street 12, #10-137, S(458256). Since the Filipino worker's first day of work in Oct 95, Low Kah Fook loaned her to his relative Kee Eng Chong who employed the Filipino worker as a cook at Oh's Farm Catering. The Filipino worker worked from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. Her duties at Oh's Farm Catering included preparing ingredients for cooking, cooking and washing dishes. Apart from the work in the catering kitchen, she also had to do household chores at the Kee Eng Chong's residence.
Kee Eng Chong was charged for employing the Filipino worker without a valid work permit. Low Kah Fook was charged for abetting Kee Eng Chong in the illegal employment. They pleaded guilty to the charges on 25 Mar 97 and was fined $11,220 each.