Twelve Cupcakes is a popular choice for parties and gatherings and has 35 outlets here.
However, they have admitted guilt in underpaying 7 foreign employees over 2 years on Thursday (10 Dec). The total missing sum is about $114,000.
Staff were given between $200-$1,200 lesser than what was promised, and the prosecution seeks a $127,000 fine for their offences.
Ministry of Manpower (MOM) investigations in Dec 2018 revealed that 7 employees were underpaid between $200-$1,200.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that affected staff include:
They were promised salaries between $2,200 and $2,600.
These people were given S-Passes to work for Twelve Cupcakes.
According to The Straits Times, Twelve Cupcakes initially paid salaries directly into the employees’ bank accounts.
However, to conceal the trail of offences, MOM prosecutor Maximilian Chew said they started paying the full sum before asking staff to return a portion of their salary in cash.
Mr Chew highlighted the elusive nature of such underhanded methods, saying Twelve Cupcakes would have continued short-changing employees if MOM didn’t find out about the offences.
He is pushing for a $127,000 fine, citing the extended duration of time the offences were made.
Each offence of underpaying foreign employees can incur a fine of up to $10,000.
In Twelve Cupcakes’ mitigation, their defence lawyer Selvarajan Balamurugan said that they’ve returned the payments that employees were owed.
They’ve also continued to pay employees their full salaries in 2020.
Mr Balamurugan also said his client accepts that they shouldn’t have continued the allegedly inherited practice when they took over from ex-owners Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo.
Singapore relies heavily on foreign manpower. To know that businesses are undercutting them can be a dent on our reputation as a place to work in.
Thankfully, the offences were discovered and the culprits will be taken to task. But we have to send a message that such undercutting can’t be condoned.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Twelve Cupcakes.
"It is difficult to say goodbye," said WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker.
He had always been strong and healthy and his family had no history of heart…
The owner of the portrait has since taken it down to avoid disturbing neighbours.
The match will be held on 6 June at the National Stadium.
He accused the officer of being "scared" of him as well.
Consumption of the health products can have severe side effects.