260 employers caught for exceeding overtime limits in last four years

Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin revealed in parliament 12 November 2012 that 260 employers were found to have contravened the limit of overtime work between 2008 and 2011. Of these, 56 employers were issued compositions fines by the Ministry while another 21 were prosecuted in court for more serious breaches. The remaining were issued warnings or advisories.

Under the Employment Act, workers are not allowed to work for more than 12 hours a day, including overtime, with a limit of 72 hours of overtime in a month.

However, employers could be granted exemption and he said that between 2008 and 2011, an average of 310 employers applied for exemption each year, of which some 270 were approved.

The above was reported by Channel NewsAsia on 12 Nov 2012.