MOM looking into claims airport wheelchair assistant had S$5 docked from pay for being 11 seconds late
MOM has contacted the employer of the affected employee to establish the nature and extent of the deductions.
A staff member pushing a wheelchair. (File photo: iStock)
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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is looking into claims that a wheelchair assistant at Changi Airport had S$5 (US$3.90) docked from his pay for being 11 seconds late for work.
"We are aware of this case and have contacted Aventa Services, the employer of the affected employee, to establish the nature and extent of the deductions," said the ministry on Friday (Aug 21) in response to CNA's queries.
"If it is determined that the deduction is unauthorised or excessive, MOM will take appropriate enforcement actions accordingly."
Last week, ground-handling company SATS said it was looking into the allegations that its “service partner” had docked the wheelchair assistant’s pay for being 11 seconds late.
It said it had sought clarification from Aventa Services, which was responding directly to queries from the manpower ministry.
The matter came to light after Ms Juliet Low, CEO of company Maid Without Borders, detailed in a LinkedIn post a conversation she had with the elderly wheelchair service worker who was helping her husband on Aug 7.
Ms Low told CNA that she asked to see his payslip, which he showed her on his phone.
“His payslip literally wrote ‘11 seconds late’,” she said, further explaining that the payslip said “something to the extent of deduction and penalty”.
According to manpower regulations, employers may make salary deductions for an employee’s absence from work. The authorised salary deductions are listed in the Employment Act.
The deduction cannot exceed the employee’s salary for the period of absence. For example, if an employee is 30 minutes late, only 30 minutes’ salary can be deducted.
In this case, if 11 seconds were to equate to S$5, that would mean the worker was earning about S$1,636 every hour, or S$13,091 for an eight-hour day.
"All employers should have a duty of care and responsibility towards their employees. Employers may only make salary deductions for reasons authorised under the Employment Act," said MOM on Friday.
It added that employers cannot impose a larger salary deduction than the period of absence by characterising it as a penalty or fine.
If employers make such unauthorised or excessive deductions from employees' salaries, it may amount to failure to pay salaries in accordance with the Employment Act, which is an offence.
"If an offence is established, MOM will take appropriate enforcement action, taking into account the employer’s rectification measures, the severity of the offence etc. This could include issuing a stern warning, and in severe cases, prosecuting the employer for the offence," said the ministry.
It added that employees who have unauthorised or excessive salary deductions may file a claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, which will help workers in their salary recovery if lapses are found.
"CONCERNING AND UNACCEPTABLE"
Ms Cham Hui Fong, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said that while Aventa Services is a non-unionised company, some of its workers are members of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union.
NTUC has reached out to its members and will provide support where needed.
"The allegation of an unfair salary deduction is concerning and unacceptable. NTUC and our unions call on Aventa Services to clarify the circumstances, and to review its policies and practices, and do right by its workers," said Ms Cham, who is also adviser to the NTUC aerospace and aviation cluster of unions.
"Whilst companies may have policies to encourage punctuality, any deduction that is disproportionate to a worker’s salary is not acceptable."
She urged MOM to investigate this matter and take appropriate action if there has been any breach of employment laws or regulations.
While employers in the service industry may have attendance and punctuality policies to support operational requirements, such policies should be implemented fairly, transparently and with reasonable discretion, Ms Cham said.
"These principles should apply equally across outsourced and contracted workforces, with principal companies and service partners alike upholding fair workplace practices," she added.
Employers should also ensure that any salary deduction is implemented in accordance with prevailing employment laws and guidelines, and that workers have a clear understanding of the circumstances under which salary deductions may be made and the basis for such deductions.
Additionally, employers should provide accessible avenues for workers to seek clarification, raise concerns, or make an appeal where there may be exceptional circumstances.
"A rigid application of rules and policies without regard for circumstances and context can undermine the trust and morale of workers in the workplace," said Ms Cham.
For isolated or minor breaches, employers should consider whether alternative measures such as counselling, reminders or other corrective actions may be more appropriate, she added.
"Open communication between employers and workers is essential in resolving such concerns constructively, building trust, and maintaining positive workplace relations," said Ms Cham.
