Over 600 Workers Complained to MOM About Their Employers Being Unfair During COVID-19 Period

By
George Yang
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Before anything, here’s the bad news: officially, since 12 March 2020, over 187,000 employees in Singapore had a pay cut due to COVID-19.

That’s about 5% of the workforce here in Singapore.

However, do note that these are workers whose employers have notified MOM about the pay cuts (they are technically required to if they engage more than 10 people). It’s unknown how many fell through the cracks, though.

And here’s the bad-er news: These don’t include people who’ve been retrenched.

Reader Bao: Is there any good news from you?

Well, there’s one: according to MOM, there’s been no reported case of any employer who wilfully refuses to channel Government support funding to proper use.

So how does the headline come about?

Misunderstanding. And really entitled employees.

Over 600 Workers Complained to MOM About Their Employers Being Unfair During COVID-19 Period

Despite that, over 600 workers approached MOM for help after they believed that the cost-cutting measures implemented by their companies are unfair.

However, it turns out that it’s mostly miscommunication…though I wonder if those employees would still dare to stay in the job.

After MOM intervened, they found out that 74% arose due to misunderstanding, or in the words of your Encik, “You think, I think, who confirm!?”

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MOM showed a few examples.

In one case, an employee in a contact lens shop was told not to work but would still receive 50% of her salary.

She wasn’t happy that she was the only one to stay home during Circuit Breaker while all her colleagues could continue to work. She later realised that it was due to safe-distancing management as the shop can only fit 5 employees instead of 6. After MOM stepped in, she received 75% of her salary instead of 50%…and still got to stay home.

Not sure why I felt that Reader Bao would side with the employer in this case, but anyways.

The other example is even more…erm, interesting. A private school teacher complained to MOM, saying that his company didn’t give him an extra 75% pay because Ah Gong is “paying” for all Singaporean employees during April and May.

You know where this goes: MOM explains to the teacher, and the teacher decided not to pursue the matter further.

That guy should’ve got the best employee award.

Employers and Employees Have to Help Each Other

During this COVID-19 period, unless you’re the bosses of Sheng Siong, you should try to understand that most bosses are suffering.

Therefore, Ms Christine Loh, Director, Employment Standards Enforcement, Ministry of Manpower, said, “To weather the impact of COVID-19 in the months ahead, employers and employees have a shared responsibility to work together and make sacrifices to prevent retrenchment and preserve jobs.”

Like in Goody Feed, our boss says he no money to pay us so we give him money to pay us. Win-win situation—we still have our jobs and still get paid.

But of course, if your employer really takes advantage of the situation, do feel free to complain. She added, “MOM will investigate complaints and take actions against employers who do not treat employees fairly.”

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George Yang
Email: [email protected]