Construction company accused of falsely declaring foreign workers' salaries

[Untouchables]

Construction company accused of falsely declaring foreign workers' salaries

AsiaOne
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014

A Singapore branch of a Korean company, Woolim Plant Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd, was charged in the State Courts today with 15 counts of making false statements to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in connection with the applications of work passes, by declaring salaries that were higher than the amounts that were actually paid to the foreign employees.

Between January 15 and March 8 last year, the firm had allegedly made false statements in its applications for work passes for 15 Bangladeshi employees. Woolim allegedly declared that each foreign employee would be paid a monthly salary of $800 after taking into account food and accommodation. On the basis that the information declared was true and correct, the applications for work passes were approved.

MOM says in a statement that it believes the foreign employees were paid much lower salaries as compared with the amounts that were declared in their respective application forms. Woolim allegedly made the false statements to secure the work passes for the foreign employees.

The case against Woolim has been adjourned to April 8.

MOM said in its statement that it was investigating other false declaration cases involving 75 employers and 230 foreign employees. If convicted, offenders can be fined up to $20,000, and/or imprisoned for up to two years for each charge.

Members of the public with information about employment-related offences can call the MOM hotline at (65) 6438 5122 or e-mail at [email protected]. All details will be kept strictly confidential.

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