Singapore — The Ministry of Manpower released a statement on its website on Thursday (Sept 23) concerning the charges filed against a Singaporean woman who did not pay her domestic helper’s salary for one year.
Another Singaporean woman was also mentioned in its statement, as she is being charged for illegally employing the same helper.
Fifty-six-year-old Santa Maria Michelle Theresa is now faced with 13 charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA).
From April 2018 to April 2019, Santa Maria did not pay her 43-year-old former helper from the Philippines, Emferatriz Borja Montefolka, MOM discovered through investigations carried out.
Should Santa Maria be found guilty of the charges, she could be made to pay as much as $10,000, and sent to jail for as long as twelve months, or both, because she did not pay the helper’s salary.
The Filipina domestic worker was also discovered to have worked illegally in the home of another Singaporean woman, Norliza Binte Kamardin, from August 2018 to April 2019, MOM also found out during the course of its investigations.
Kamardin now faces one charge of employing a migrant domestic worker without a valid work pass under the EFMA.
If she is found guilty, she could be made to pay a fine of between $5,000 to $30,000 and jailed for as long as 12 months, or both.
However, the helper has been charged as well.
Montefolka faces one charge of working without a valid work pass under the EFMA.
If she is convicted, she may be made to pay a fine of as much as $20,000 and jailed for as long as 2 years, or both.
The statement added that “MOM encourages employers to pay their migrant domestic worker’s salary electronically, i.e. through General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO) or direct bank transfer. Employers must do so if requested by MDWs.
This ensures prompt payment and minimises salary disputes due to transparent records. Migrant domestic workers who need assistance on salary and other employment-related matters can call the MOM MDW Helpline at 1800 339 5505, or CDE at 1800 2255 233.” /TISG