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SINGAPORE – The punishment framework for employers who illegally deploy their foreign domestic workers will be revised, State Minister of Manpower Gan Siow Huang said in Parliament on Monday (October 5).
“In light of the particular vulnerability of foreign domestic workers, we will review our punishment framework and take action against employers in similar cases of illegal deployment, regardless of whether they are aware of the illegal deployment,” he said.
“This is to remind employers that they are ultimately responsible for their foreign domestic workers and must take steps to ensure that the deployment of foreign domestic workers in their homes does not contravene the law.”
Gan was referring to questions posed by other members of Parliament regarding the case of Parti Liyani, an Indonesian foreign domestic worker who was recently acquitted by the High Court after being found guilty of theft and possession of stolen items belonging to her employer. , Changi airport. The group’s president, Liew Mun Leong.
Parti, now 46, had filed a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in 2016 for having been forced to work outside of Liew’s home, specifically at the home of Liew’s son Karl, and at the Karl’s office. The Liews later filed a police report accusing her of stealing more than $ 50,000 worth of items from her home.
Gan noted that in May 2018, following the conclusion of MOM’s investigations into the complaint, the ministry, in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, decided not to take further action against Liew, while a warning was issued to his wife and a warning. Karl was notified.
He noted that these actions were “in line with actions taken by the ministry against similar cases in the past.
“There is an ongoing review for this particular case regarding the illegal deployment of Parti Liyani stemming from the High Court observations. MOM will give an update when the review is completed in due time, ”Gan said.
He also reiterated MOM’s findings that, between 2017 and 2019, there were an average of 550 complaints per year regarding the illegal deployment of foreign domestic workers by their employers or household members.
Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng asked if MOM could require that the documented consent of foreign domestic workers be obtained if they are to be deployed outside of their employment address. Gan said in response that employers are currently required to inform MOM if they intend to send a foreign domestic worker to a different address than the one listed on their work permit.
“We are considering ways to allow employers to notify MOM more effectively so that we can track and approve such cases, more consistently,” he added.
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