MOM Tightens the No‑go Rules on LOA
Why the Buzz?
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) just fired up its crackdown on work‑pass holders who were flouting the mandatory leave‑of‑absence (LOA) rules between 10 Feb and 24 Feb. In total, 14 workers and 15 employers…well, they’ll be on the blacklist soon.
6 workers had their passes revoked – one even got slapped with a permanent employment ban after sneaking into a casino (yikes!).
2 workers claimed they didn’t know the LOA rules even though MOM had warned them. Result? Revoked passes and a permanent ban.
3 workers flat‑out ignored MOM’s contact attempts, earning a pass revocation and a two‑year suspension for their employers.
4 workers simply received stern warnings, though their bosses faced three‑year suspensions because they told the workers to show up while on LOA.
The “Hold‑It” Cases
| Case |
Worker’s Situation |
Employer’s Move |
MOM’s Response |
| 1 |
Complaint against freight forwarder Element Logistics for pushing him to work. |
— |
Worker warned, employer suspended 3 yrs. |
| 2 |
HR boss at SCDA Design demanded she report to office while on LOA. |
— |
Worker warned, employer suspended 3 yrs. |
| 3 |
Director at Cham Brothers Engineering told him to work during LOA. |
— |
Worker warned, employer suspended 3 yrs. |
| 4 |
Long‑time absence from home after a meal… |
— |
Worker given stern warning. |
The Takeaway
MOM will continue strict physical inspections and even pull the call (phone + video) on workers on LOA.
Employers & employees must team up: if an employer tells a worker to grind away while on a break, it’s a straight‑up rule violation. No “I didn’t know” excuse here.
—
Keep an eye out: if you’ve got intel on any work‑pass or employer skirting the LOA, drop a line to MOM at [email protected]*.
No funny business. Employers and workers might as well keep their cool – or watch the suspensions roll in!
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