The findings came to light during an audit on the company, conducted on 6 Dec last year. MOM discovered workers were given only two rest days a month, instead of one rest day a week as required under the law.

The workers were also not granted any annual leave.

In addition, some cleaners were found to have worked beyond 72 hours of overtime a month.

Failure to provide statutory employment benefits such as annual leave, rest day and sick leave in accordance with the law are offences under the Employment Act.

It is also an offence to make employees work more than 12 hours a day or work more than 72 hours of overtime in a month.

Those found guilty may be prosecuted in court and fined up to $1,000 for each offence.

For a second or subsequent offence, those convicted can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to one year, or both.

Since 2007, MOM has prosecuted six cleaning companies for violations of the Employment Act.

Another three cleaning companies now face pending prosecution for failing to pay salaries.

This article was first published in The New Paper on 1 Dec 2008.