Singapore employee questions S$15 fine after SME boss penalises him for being 13 minutes late

SINGAPORE: An employee questioned whether his SME boss could legally fine him after he was asked to pay a penalty for arriving just 13 minutes late to work.

The employee took to the r/asksg forum to seek advice, explaining that he works for a small company with no HR department.

When he first applied for the position, he said the office was a small team consisting of just “two colleagues” and a senior employee, who was also the person who interviewed him. 

After joining the company, he even recommended it to a friend who was also looking for a job. His friend later applied, and the two were eventually hired by the company.

During probation, they were reportedly offered S$1,800 in salary plus a S$500 allowance.

But shortly after joining, the pair discovered a workplace rule that caught them off guard.

The employee said his friend had previously been about 15 minutes late and was ordered to pay a S$15 fine.

He then found himself in the same situation after arriving 13 minutes late.

His boss reportedly told him to pay a fine as well, but the employee said he could not afford to do so immediately because he had bills to clear.

“I have since checked and know this isn’t right, but do I pay him now?” he asked. “It’s about 1 week to my first pay, but the contract states if I leave, I would need 1 month’s advance.”

According to the employee, a colleague told him the fine was introduced after previous workers had repeatedly arrived late without facing any consequences.

‘` pay’

In the discussion thread, several users argued that the employer could not legally impose such a fine.

One commenter said, “A 15-dollar fine for being 15 minutes late means your hourly pay needs to be 100 per hour, or else it’s illegal. Get a black and white file and complain to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).”

Another wrote, “Obviously no? WTF. Does the contract say anything about fine? Also let him fire you then. Force his hand; not your problem.”

A third added, “Don’t pay. Let him fire you and you’ll complain to MOM for unfair dismissal.”

Meanwhile, a few others advised him not to bother fighting over it and simply leave the company. One said, “Just leave and don’t show up to work anymore. Most small contracts like this don’t get enforced since it takes more time and money.”

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employers are permitted to make salary deductions when employees arrive late for work. However, the deduction must be limited to the actual period of absence. For instance, if an employee is 30 minutes late, the employer may deduct only 30 minutes’ worth of salary.

Read also: Pregnant women share MRT struggles, from being ignored to being mocked for sitting down