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3 organisations charged with employment offences
By Claire Huang | Posted: 26 April 2012 2129 hrs
SINGAPORE: Nightingale Nursing Home, Greenview Nursing Home and Civic Ambulance Services were charged on Thursday in court under two employment acts - the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) and Employment Act (EA).
Nightingale Nursing Home was slapped with 32 charges - 31 of which related to illegal deployment and one of false declaration to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Greenview Nursing Home faces 11 charges - all related to the illegal deployment of foreigners against the work permit issued.
Meanwhile, Civic Ambulance Services had allegedly falsely declared salaries on nine counts between September 2007 and May 2009.
Court documents stated the two nursing homes had allegedly illegally deployed nursing aides to be cheerleaders, to work at football games and as general or administrative staff.
Other charges the three organisations face include false declaration of salaries, excessive working hours, failure to make overtime payments, and failure to produce attendance records.
An MOM spokesperson said: "Today's prosecution is an indication that MOM takes a serious view of the flouting of the laws on employment, in this case, where foreign employees were made to work illegally without adequate rest and proper compensation."
In addition, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement it has taken legal action against Nightingale Nursing Home under the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act.
An MOH spokesperson said: "As the matter is currently before the courts, it is inappropriate for MOH to comment further."
She added the suspension of Nightingale Nursing Home from admitting new patients is still in force.
The Nightingale Nursing Home along Braddell Road was suspended last April from admitting new patients.
This came after some of its staff members were found to have mistreated a resident there.
Last March, a man had secretly captured on video his elderly mother being flung onto a bed and slapped by the staff of the nursing home. The video clip was later televised.
In February this year, Minister of State for Health Amy Khor told parliament that police investigations into the incident at the nursing home had been completed and legal action will be taken.
For illegal deployment, the organisation could be fined up to S$5,000.
If convicted of false declaration, the penalty is a fine not exceeding S$15,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
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