Former site manager received a total of S$18,000 in employment kickbacks between June and July 2021
A former site manager of a waste management firm in Singapore has been sentenced to jail for getting kickbacks from five migrant workers as a condition for their employment.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the site manager has been sentenced to 49 days of imprisonment after being convicted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA).
According to MOM, the site manager was responsible for recruiting and managing conservancy workers providing estate cleaning and maintenance services for town councils. He was also in charge of applying for and renewing the employees' work permits.
The site manager admitted to receiving kickbacks ranging from S$2,000 to S$4,000 from five migrant workers as a condition for their continued employment with the waste management firm.
Overall, he received S$18,000 in employment kickbacks from the five workers between June and July 2021.
The site manager faced a total of 24 charges under the EFMA for demanding kickbacks as a condition for employment or continued employment.
He pleaded guilty to five charges involving five workers, with 19 other charges taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing, according to MOM.
A 'serious offence'
The ministry said demanding or receiving employment kickbacks from migrant workers is a "serious offence" under the EFMA.
"The Ministry of Manpower will not hesitate to take enforcement action against individuals who exploit migrant workers for monetary gain," it added.
Those who are found to have received employment kickbacks from migrant workers may be fined up to S$30,000 or get jail time for up to two years, or both, according to MOM.
