The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said employers must pay their workers regardless of whether they have work, or cannot be deployed temporarily due to lack of skills or qualifications.

It said this in a press statement yesterday in response to recent reports of foreign workers not being given work and not being paid.

MOM had met representatives from Sans Marine Engineering Service, Han's Marine and K7 Engineering. They have committed to pay the outstanding salaries of 50 Bangladeshi workers. Investigations are still being done on the other complaints from the workers. These companies will be barred from hiring more foreign workers until the cases are resolved.

Failure to pay salaries is an offence under the Employment Act. Employers who fail to pay their employees could be fined up to $1,000 per charge for first time offenders. For repeat offenders, the fine is up to $2,000 per charge, or a jail term not exceeding one year or both.

MOM will take to task companies who knowingly recruit foreign workers when there is no work for them, including taking prosecution action. It will also debar such errant employers from hiring new foreign workers, as well as revoke all existing work permits applied for by the company.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.