CPF MEMBERS RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS BY COMPANIES FALSELY CLAIMING TO BE EMPLOYERS

CPF MEMBERS RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS BY COMPANIES FALSELY CLAIMING TO BE EMPLOYERS: * * *

28.

Mrs Josephine Teo asked the Acting Minister for Manpower whether his Ministry has been notified by CPF members who have received contributions by companies who falsely claim to be their employers and, if so, what was the Ministry's response.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: In 2007, CPF Board received a total of 121 complaints from members who had received contributions from companies who were not their employers. The majority of such cases were found to be genuine errors made by the employers. Where the employer is suspected to have paid CPF to persons who are not their employees in order to employ more foreign workers, MOM will investigate further and prosecute the errant employers.

Since January 2007, an employer who makes a work permit application has to certify that his firm’s CPF accounts only include contributions made to persons actively employed by his firm. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, inflating the foreign worker entitlement by falsely declaring the number of local workers is punishable with a fine of up to $15,000, or 12 months’ imprisonment, or both.

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