A security guard agency and its director have been fined a total of $13,800 for breaching laws on overtime work.

In October 2005, a site inspection by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that Petra Security Agency, a security agency which has since ceased its operations, had violated the Employment Act with three of the agency's guards deployed at a client's site working more than 44 hours a week without overtime payment.

Petra Security Agency was thus fined a total of $11,000 for 22 charges under the Employment Act. Another 17 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. The agency's director Mr Saleem s/o Abdul Razak, too was fined $2,800. He was convicted on seven charges with remaining 32 charges taken into consideration.

Between August and September 2005, the same guards had worked more than 72 hours of overtime a month on five occasions, even though the company did not have MOM's approval to do so. In addition, one of the guards was not provided with one rest day per week.

Since 2006, Petra Security Agency is the fifth security agency to be charged in court for violating the Employment Act.

Checks on agencies to detect violations of the Employment Act and licensing conditions are conducted regularly by the Singapore Police Force and MOM.

MOM reiterate in a press statement that employers must comply with the provisions on working hours and other employment conditions stipulated in the Employment Act to avoid a fine of up to $1,000 for each offence if found to be violating the Act.