TWO security agencies have been fined a total of $31,400 for offences under the Employment Act.
Reliance Security Services and its director, Narayanan Nambiar, were each convicted of 37 charges on March 31, for making its security officer work more than 12 hours a day. The company and Mr Narayanan were each fined $11,100.
In the second case, the director of Pamason Guard Management, P M Many, was convicted on Apil 1 of 25 charges and fined $20,300 for failing to pay salary to its employees.
A statement from Manpower Ministry on Thursday said its check on Reliance Security Agency in Changi South on Feb 8 found that it made a security officer work more than 12 hours a day on numerous occasions between October 2006 and February 2007. A total of 37 charges each were brought against the security agency and its director, with another 75 charges each taken into consideration.
Pamason Guard failed to pay the salaries, ranging from one to five months, due to 11 of its security officers, amounting to some $23,000.
The salary claims were adjudicated in the Labour Court on Nov 9 2006 but the company failed to pay up in spite of the court ruling in favour of its employees, said MOM.
A total of 25 charges were brought against the director, with another five charges taken into consideration.
Apart from enforcement, MOM said it has been working closely with its partners, primarily through the Security Industry Forum (SIF) on a number of initiatives to improve the professionalism of the security industry.
The SIF is led by the Security Industry Regulatory Department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) with representatives from the MOM, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, Union of Security Employees and the industry associations.
This forum aims to improve the employment conditions and career prospects for security personnel. For example, WDA has developed a Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Framework for the security industry to enhance career progression for security officers.
Mr Patrick Tay, General Secretary, Union of Security Employees, said: ‘We are pleased to have this co-ordinated effort among various agencies to improve and professionalise the industry as well as look after the well-being of our workers. We’ve seen progress. With this continuing effort, the private security industry in Singapore could achieve higher level of professionalism and offer Singaporeans an attractive career choice.’
MOM urged employers to comply with the provisions under the Employment Act on salary payment, working hours and other employment conditions.Those found to have violated the Act may be prosecuted in court and fined up to $1,000 for each offence. For a second or subsequent offence, the employer can be fined up to $2,000 for each offence or jailed up to one year, or both.
Employees or members of the public can give feedback on non-compliance of the act to MOM at tel: 6438 5122 or email: mom_lrd@mom.gov.sg.
