MOM and CPF Board to boost enforcement inspections from November 2012

The Ministry of Manpower and the Central Provident Fund Board will increase their joint enforcement inspections on employers by ten-fold from this November.

The increase from 500 to 5,000 inspections a year is meant to improve compliance wiht the CPF Act and Employment Act so that employees may enjoy their basic employment rights. 

This is particularly so with the more vulnerable groups like low-wage workers. 

Areas of focus include payment of CPF contributions, on-time payment of salary, provision of paid annual and medical leave, and working-hour requirements. 

Greater attention will also be placed on industries where non-compliance with the CPF Act and the Employment Act tend to be higher. 

These include the food and beverage, retail, security and cleaning industries. 

In a joint statement today, MOM and CPF Board say they will complement enforcement with education. 

Through the "I Know My Employment Rights, I Do It Right" campaign, workers will be educated about their employers' obligations towards them. 

And employers will be educated about their responsibilities. 

Tapping the power of the community to mulitply the effect of the campaign, a hotline (1800-221-9922) and an emailworkright@mom.gov.sgwill also be advertised. 

Workers and the public can report non-compliance of the CPF Act and Employment Act through the hotline or the email. 

In the ManpowerBlog, Acting Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin commented on why enforcement and education on the ground about employment rights is necessary. 

He noted that while most employers are responsible, there are some who continue to flout the law, hoping to benefit from short-term gains.

Hence the need to step up enforcement. 

He said it is also crucial for workers to understand that going along with their employers to forgo their CPF contributions is to their disadvantage. 

That's because they will be missing out on government subsidies such as Workfare. 

Mr Tan commented that even as efforts are made to increase the wages of our low income workers, inclusive growth isn't just about the dollars and cents. 

A progressive workplace and fair work practices ensure that employers are responsible and our employees, particularly low-wage workers, are not shortchanged.