Local soya milk chain Jollibean is under investigation by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for possible breaches of the Employment Act, after reports that some of its workers were not paid on time, or at all.
A total of 29 employees have come forward to seek help for unpaid salaries. MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) are now assisting them.
What’s Being Done
So far:
-
22 workers have reached agreements with Jollibean to receive their salaries in instalments.
-
3 workers have obtained official payment orders from the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT).
-
The remaining 4 cases are either under mediation or awaiting an ECT decision.
These updates were shared by MOM and TADM in response to queries from The Straits Times on July 12. The unpaid or delayed wages reportedly date back to December 2024, and MOM has said it will continue helping affected workers.
Reminder to All Employers
In a joint statement, MOM and TADM said:
“We would like to remind employers to pay salaries and CPF contributions on time to their employees.”
They also encouraged workers facing unpaid wages to file a claim with TADM, which can help resolve issues through mediation or refer them to the ECT, which has legal powers to enforce payment.
Jollibean Promises to Resolve Issues
Jollibean Foods director Mr. Shahrul Nazrin Mohd Dahlan told other media outlets that the company now has a new owner and is working with authorities to clear all salary arrears by the end of July.
Workers Feeling the Strain
One front-line staff member, a woman in her late 40s, told The Straits Times on July 11 that she had not received her May and June salaries, and her pay for December 2024 was delayed by about three weeks. She had to dip into her savings to cover rent and daily expenses.
She added that many other front-line workers were in the same situation. What upset her most was the lack of communication from the company.
“It would have been reassuring if the management had at least warned us that the company was struggling, but hoped to turn things around under new owners,” she said.
Legal Advice: Don’t Wait Too Long
Employment lawyer Ms. Goh Seow Hui, a partner at Bird & Bird ATMD, warned that staying on at a company that owes salaries can be risky, even if there’s a promise that things will get better.
“The employer’s promises do not improve the worker’s legal position,” she said.
She advised that if workers have better job opportunities, they should resign and file a legal claim for the unpaid wages.
She also stressed that a change in ownership is not a valid excuse for delaying salary payments.
