SATS is seeking clarification from its service partner after an elderly wheelchair assistant at Changi Airport was allegedly docked S$5 from his pay for being just 11 seconds late.
The allegation was raised publicly by Juliet Low, CEO of Maid Without Borders, after she spoke with the elderly worker while assisting her husband, who was recovering from a fracture. Low said the man showed her a photograph of his payslip, which allegedly reflected the S$5 deduction.
The worker reportedly told her that he earns around S$7 an hour, raising questions over whether such a deduction could comply with Singapore’s employment regulations.
SATS seeks clarification from service partner
SATS, which provides airport ground-handling services, said it was aware of and concerned about the allegations. The company has sought clarification from Aventa Services, the service partner reportedly responsible for the wheelchair assistance staff.
A SATS spokesperson said Aventa had informed the company that it was responding directly to queries from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
SATS also stressed that it takes such matters seriously and expects its service partners to comply with applicable employment laws and regulations.
The allegations have attracted significant attention online, particularly because the worker is reportedly elderly and the amount allegedly deducted was substantial compared with his hourly pay.
What Singapore’s employment rules say
MOM states that employers can deduct salary for absence from work, but the amount deducted cannot exceed the period of absence. For example, if an employee is 30 minutes late, only 30 minutes’ worth of salary can be deducted. Employers are also expected to establish why an employee was late and should not unfairly penalise them where there is a valid reason.
If the alleged S$5 deduction was specifically imposed for 11 seconds of lateness, the figures would appear difficult to reconcile with the worker’s reported S$7 hourly wage. At S$7 an hour, 11 seconds of work is worth only around S$0.02, making S$5 roughly 250 times the value of those 11 seconds.
However, whether the deduction was actually made for 11 seconds alone, and how it was recorded or calculated, remains subject to clarification.
Worker reportedly says elderly ushers face difficult conditions
Low also claimed that the elderly worker told her that many of the wheelchair ushers at Changi Airport are older workers.
According to her account, the job can be physically demanding, with staff assisting passengers who require wheelchair support around the airport.
She also claimed the worker told her that staff could sometimes clock in a few seconds late because they were using the toilet.
The allegations have triggered a wider conversation about employment conditions for older workers, particularly those working in physically demanding service roles.
What happens next?
MOM has reportedly sought information from Aventa Services regarding the allegations. If an employee believes excessive or unauthorised salary deductions have been made, MOM says the worker can seek mediation through the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).
Employers are also required to provide itemised payslips showing deductions made during a salary period, including deductions relating to absence from work.
For now, the S$5 deduction remains an allegation and the circumstances behind it have not been fully established.
The case has nevertheless raised an uncomfortable question for employers: how should minor lateness be handled, especially when the employee is an older worker earning a relatively modest hourly wage?
The outcome of the clarification sought by MOM and SATS could provide a clearer picture of whether the alleged deduction was made in accordance with Singapore’s employment rules.