Help!!! employment agency not paying,how can i get my money?

• Peikou

  26 Oct 14, 05:29

  Hi everyone i am a student, recently i went on working for some part time jobs through an employment agency during my term break holiday.i was suppose to get my pay on august but it didn't came. i tried asking my agent several time and everytime she just said that they will check for me and never reply after that.

  Until today i finally got my pay but its wasn't the right amount, the amount that i received was $209.25 but the amount i calculated that i was suppose to receive is $449.75.I did my calculation base on my time sheet and the basic salary stated in the contract. 

  I am just a student trying to survive here, because of school i don't really have much to work except on holiday. Trying to save cost everyday just to survive, the amount might not mean much to most people but it really means alot to me, who only has $5 in my account waited so long for my pay to come so i can eat.Enduring the shame of borrowing money from my friends, although they say they didn't mind.

  This few hundred dollars means nothing to them as they are big organisations, but why do they do this, bullying the poor and the weak. i don't wish to sue or destory their reputation i just hope someone could help me get my money back.

  Please help me it really means alot to me thank you.

• swee_heng

  26 Oct 14, 07:19

  You have got no choice, you can try negotiating with them. This kind of thing cannot say dont sue one, you can try to go to legal clinic see what the lawyer there tells you. This is breach of contract you know? The contract is made to fulfill both parties obligations, you are obliged to fulfill the working terms stated in the contract while the agency is obliged to pay you your wages. If any terms is not fulfilled, there is a breach in the contract and whoevers breach it will have to face the music. 

  Before doing anything, please make sure that you have fulfilled ALL obligations in the contract. 

  Thanks. 

• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 07:49

  Originally posted by Peikou:

  Hi everyone i am a student, recently i went on working for some part time jobs through an employment agency during my term break holiday.i was suppose to get my pay on august but it didn't came. i tried asking my agent several time and everytime she just said that they will check for me and never reply after that.

  Until today i finally got my pay but its wasn't the right amount, the amount that i received was $209.25 but the amount i calculated that i was suppose to receive is $449.75.I did my calculation base on my time sheet and the basic salary stated in the contract. 

  I am just a student trying to survive here, because of school i don't really have much to work except on holiday. Trying to save cost everyday just to survive, the amount might not mean much to most people but it really means alot to me, who only has $5 in my account waited so long for my pay to come so i can eat.Enduring the shame of borrowing money from my friends, although they say they didn't mind.

  This few hundred dollars means nothing to them as they are big organisations, but why do they do this, bullying the poor and the weak. i don't wish to sue or destory their reputation i just hope someone could help me get my money back.

  Please help me it really means alot to me thank you.

  
  Are you a foreign student studying in Singapore? If you are and you are 16 years old and above; and your current immigration status is on student pass or dependent pass, you are not suppose to work as a part timer or full-time basis. Its against the MOM laws. The employer need to apply for your work permit with MOM and go through the process of work permit protocol if they wish to hire you eventhough its a short term employment during school holidays.
• Peikou

  26 Oct 14, 08:32

  Thanks you all for your replies, i am sure i didn't breach my contract i am a singaporean btw. I dont know much about legal clinic but i am sure i couldn't afford a lawyer, even if i was successful in the sue i don't think the money i got will be enough to even cover for the expense.

• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 08:47

  Originally posted by Peikou:

  Thanks you all for your replies, i am sure i didn't breach my contract i am a singaporean btw. I dont know much about legal clinic but i am sure i couldn't afford a lawyer, even if i was successful in the sue i don't think the money i got will be enough to even cover for the expense.

  
  Are you above 16 years old? If you are, then report this case to MOM and bring along your contract agreement and payment proof from that agency to the officer in charge at MOM. Its free and no service fee.
• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 10:38

  If you have any enquiries or you have any knowlegde about any employer/employers that abuse labour law or MOM protocols, you can make that enquiry or report online at http://www.mom.gov.sg . An MOM Officer will contact you pertaining to your enquiry or report via email or personal contact number.
• Shorter ninja

  26 Oct 14, 11:18

  this is the something that I hate more than a natural disaster .... When someone gets screwed by the boss or an organization over money
• FireIce

  26 Oct 14, 11:57

  got a copy of your timesheet?

  have u checked with them on the difference in amount?

• Peikou

  26 Oct 14, 17:37

  Thanks everyone for you help, i will try reporting it to MOM. It's sad that the strangers online are more kind and helpful than the people around.

• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 22:14

  Originally posted by Shorter ninja:

  this is the something that I hate more than a natural disaster …. When someone gets screwed by the boss or an organization over money

  
  Me too...in the past I get annoyed and frustrated when I encountered agents and the bosses themselves whom I suspected were trying to cheat their workers..in my case usually the foreign workers and they tried to lied their way with MOM while processing their workers' work permit...sometimes I would question the agents/bosses themselves until they got scared. Sometimes I felt like grabbing them by their collars and shout in their faces...but of course I never did that...However, sometimes I wish I could reject their work permit applications but after on the spot verification..all their documents were all in order and valid...so sadly and reluctantly I had to approved their work permit processing..and send their workers for thumb prints for the work permit card. I really like to see more local companies especially the SMEs...hanged by MOM for trying to cheat their employees of their wages and work rights....there are plenty out there...really plenty of them...still cheating their employees and abusing the labour laws in Singapore.
• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 22:25

  Originally posted by Peikou:

  Thanks everyone for you help, i will try reporting it to MOM. It's sad that the strangers online are more kind and helpful than the people around.

  
  So Peikou...listen to me...if you are below 16 years of age...or a foreign student working as part-timer or full-timer secretly...don't worry...just report it to MOM...the most MOM will advise you and remind you to be careful next time and follow the MOM law. The the real culprit is/are the employer/employers...they should know better about MOM laws...they will be dealth by MOM sternly without any prejudice. Anyway...MOM is really looking forward of working closely with the public or whistle blowers on rogue employers...local or foreign entities.
• zulkifli mahmood

  26 Oct 14, 22:31

  THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USEFUL FOR EMPLOYERS AND STUDENTS (EMPLOYEES) Employment of Children & Young Persons A child must be at least 13 years of age before he/she can be employed. The employment of children and young persons is governed by Part VIII of the Employment Act and The Employment of Children and Young Persons Regulations. - For children 13 to 15 years of age A child who is 13 years old and above but has not completed his 15th year of age can engage only in light work suited to his/her capacity. He/she cannot work in any industrial undertaking or vessel unless such undertaking or vessel is under the personal charge of his/her parent. For young persons 16 years of age A young person, who has completed his 15th year of age but has not completed his 16th year of age may be employed in an industrial undertaking. However, the employer must: A. Notify the Commissioner for Labour via ESOL within 30 days of the young person’s employment; and B. Before employment, submit a medical certificate certifying the young person’s fitness for employment. Persons below 16 years of age are not allowed to work in: A. Any occupation or place with working conditions that are injurious, or likely to be injurious,to their health; B. Any service involving management of, or attendance to, machinery in motion; C. Any service involving management of, attendance to, or proximity to any live electrical apparatus that is not effectively insulated; or D. Any underground work. If children or young persons are employed as workmen: A. They cannot work during the night, between 11pm and 6am the next day; B. Their hours of work cannot exceed: For a child – three hours without a break of 30 minutes or six hours in any one day; or For a young person – four hours without a break of 30 minutes or seven hours in any one day, including the period of school attendance (If he/she is attending school). C. They are not allowed to work on their rest days without the permission of the Commissioner for Labour. For more details on the abovemention subject please visit at http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-rights-conditions/young-persons-children/Pages/employment-of-children-and-young-persons.aspx
• FireIce

  27 Oct 14, 13:20

  meanwhile, continue bugging the agency

  make a trip there personally if u can

• FireIce

  27 Oct 14, 13:20

  and i actually have a hunch which agency that is.............

• SJS6638

  27 Oct 14, 13:44

   I had same prob b4.  MOM told me company should pay within reasonable period if not MOM can help employee chase payment.   What I did was I tell the company about getting help from MOM and within a few days I received my salary.

  Try this and see if agency pay.

• Acidcat

  27 Oct 14, 22:23

  Part one drastic action : call agent for theee days straight ask him when can give money , go to company on third day make a big fuss refuse to leave . Threaten to inform case , stomp , police and the company in question . Part two drastic action ; call company HR , a managerial or high post , or if your boss liked u , tell him . Hopefully the client will force agent to pay . Claim that agent says they cannot pay u coz client never pay them .