<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>29 jailed for lying about their bosses
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Bangladeshis had falsely claimed they were made to do additional jobs </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Esther Tan
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Some of the workers who have been sentenced to two weeks in jail for lying to the Ministry of Manpower. They had made the allegations so that they could be placed on the Temporary Job Scheme while the MOM ironed out the issue. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A GROUP of Bangladeshi workers, feeling short-changed over their salaries, went to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) with the story that their employers were setting them to work on additional jobs.
Caught out in their lies, the 29 each landed themselves two-week jail terms yesterday for giving false information to the MOM.
This is the first time the ministry has hauled foreign workers to court for making false allegations about their employers with a view to getting on board its Temporary Job Scheme.
This scheme gives workers in disputes or awaiting compensation the right to earn a living while the issue is being ironed out.
The court heard that the workers, employed at marine companies San's Marine Engineering Service, Han's Marine and K7 Engineering, went to MOM last September to complain that their bosses made them work as cleaners, renovation workers and car washers on top of their regular jobs as welders, plumbers and flame cutters.
MOM launched investigations and found their stories to be untrue.
The men then admitted that they had lied so they could be placed on the Temporary Job Scheme.
Some of them claimed that their employers had not given them sufficient work to earn enough to send to their families back home. Others in the group complained that too many deductions were being made from their salaries.
MOM investigations showed that the workers had valid work contracts with their employers.
The periods when they were not given work were when they were undergoing training, during which they were not paid.
MOM said last December that it had resolved the salary claims of these 29 workers and 19 others from the same three companies.
Employment laws require employers to pay their workers even if there is insufficient work or if the workers cannot be deployed temporarily because they lack the required skills or qualifications.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, those guilty of giving MOM false information may be fined up to $15,000 or jailed for up to a year. [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Bangladeshis had falsely claimed they were made to do additional jobs </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Esther Tan
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Some of the workers who have been sentenced to two weeks in jail for lying to the Ministry of Manpower. They had made the allegations so that they could be placed on the Temporary Job Scheme while the MOM ironed out the issue. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A GROUP of Bangladeshi workers, feeling short-changed over their salaries, went to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) with the story that their employers were setting them to work on additional jobs.
Caught out in their lies, the 29 each landed themselves two-week jail terms yesterday for giving false information to the MOM.
This is the first time the ministry has hauled foreign workers to court for making false allegations about their employers with a view to getting on board its Temporary Job Scheme.
This scheme gives workers in disputes or awaiting compensation the right to earn a living while the issue is being ironed out.
The court heard that the workers, employed at marine companies San's Marine Engineering Service, Han's Marine and K7 Engineering, went to MOM last September to complain that their bosses made them work as cleaners, renovation workers and car washers on top of their regular jobs as welders, plumbers and flame cutters.
MOM launched investigations and found their stories to be untrue.
The men then admitted that they had lied so they could be placed on the Temporary Job Scheme.
Some of them claimed that their employers had not given them sufficient work to earn enough to send to their families back home. Others in the group complained that too many deductions were being made from their salaries.
MOM investigations showed that the workers had valid work contracts with their employers.
The periods when they were not given work were when they were undergoing training, during which they were not paid.
MOM said last December that it had resolved the salary claims of these 29 workers and 19 others from the same three companies.
Employment laws require employers to pay their workers even if there is insufficient work or if the workers cannot be deployed temporarily because they lack the required skills or qualifications.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, those guilty of giving MOM false information may be fined up to $15,000 or jailed for up to a year. [email protected]