The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has prosecuted two cleaning companies - Home and Industrial Maintenance Services Pte Ltd and IMM & IMM Cleaning Services Pte Ltd - and their directors for failing to pay salaries to their employees.

The managing director of Home and Industrial Maintenance Services Pte Ltd, Ang Ser Hock, pleaded guilty on 8 Aug 08 to 53 counts of failure to pay salaries totalling $31,268.22 to 53 employees. Another 22 counts were taken into consideration during sentencing. As Mr Ang informed the Court he would not be able to pay any fine, the Court imposed a four-month custodial sentence on him. In the second case, IMM & IMM Cleaning Services Pte Ltd was convicted on 13 Aug 08 for two charges and fined $1,500 with 12 other charges taken into consideration during sentencing. Its managing director, Andrew Sivanesan S/O Balakrishnan, was also fined $1,500.

Between Oct 06 and Feb 07, MOM received complaints from 53 cleaners working for Home and Industrial Maintenance Services that they had not been paid their salaries ranging from a few days to one and a half months. Their salary claims were adjudicated by the Labour Court and Orders were made for the company to pay the arrears. However, the Orders were not compiled with. A total of 75 charges were then brought against the company and Mr Ang.

IMM & IMM Cleaning Services Pte Ltd failed to pay salaries (ranging between one to three weeks) owed to 14 cleaners after terminating their employment contracts. Their salary claims were adjudicated by the Labour Court, but the company failed to comply with the Orders to pay the arrears.

It subsequently made good on the arrears, amounting to $5,573, to the 14 cleaners. However, in view of the company's violation of the Employment Act, the Ministry proceeded to prosecute the company and its director on two charges each with another 12 charges taken into consideration.

Mr Quek Jen Juan, Senior Assistant Director, Labour Relations & Workplaces Division, MOM says, 'The Ministry is stepping up on our education and enforcement efforts on employment conditions of workers, especially lower salaried workers in sectors such as cleaning. The Ministry has also intensified outreach efforts with partner agencies to raise employers' awareness of their statutory obligations under the employment laws.'