“This is the bare minimum” – Company that unplugged freezer with 136 breastmilk bags slammed for $1550 compensation offer

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans have criticised the resolution a company offered after a mother shared on Instagram that a cleaner from Urban Company Singapore allegedly unplugged her freezer to use a handheld vacuum and forgot to reconnect it, causing 136 bags of her stored breastmilk to spoil.

She detailed the incident in a series of Instagram stories on 14 July, seeking compensation for her loss. The company initially offered a paltry S$14 as compensation before increasing the sum to S$1,550, which equates to the value of 24 tins of formula milk.

Although she noted that the “outcome is fair and reasonable” she said that it was “hard to put a value” on the loss that she had suffered.

Many online commenters slammed the $1,550 compensation offer, criticising the company for what they deemed as inadequate compensation.

One commenter pointed out, “Nobody realises that each bag is at least 30 mins of the mummy’s time, and does not account for time spent waking up in the middle of the night to pump. Compensation could have been worth much much more. I would have been livid.”

Another chimed in, “Anyone who knows the struggle of breastfeeding will agree that the loss is beyond $1,550.”

One commenter likened the compensation to losing an irreplaceable family home, saying, “Imagine if I accidentally burnt down your ancestral bungalow that not only took your parents/ancestors a lot of effort and time to build, but also has great sentimental value to your family, and I only offer to give the cash value for you to buy a same sized condo as compensation to house your family because your bungalow is “priceless anyway”.

She added that the second compensation offer was not fair, and “is literally the bare minimum.”

“It takes great effort and tons of time for a mother to produce (breastmilk) over days and nights. If you bring this case to civil court, I am sure the mother would deserve at least a few times the cash value of the formula,” the commenter pointed out.

Another netizen explained the difficulties of breastfeeding, detailing the constant need to wake up every few hours to feed or pump, the physical pain from swelling if pumping or breastfeeding is missed, and the continuous effort to maintain milk supply. “Breast milk is priceless. How do you compensate for that?” the commenter added. /TISG

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