In all, she was owed $19,398, which was eventually paid to her after intervention by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

She was one of 276 foreign maids here who were not paid by their employers last year. The ministry managed to recover more than $270,000 in unpaid salaries for these maids and convicted three employers for committing the offence.

The latest employer to be convicted was Zubaidah Bte Sanluan, who was fined $4,500 in Court on Feb 11 for failing to pay the salary of her domestic help, and for making a false declaration to the Controller of Work Permits.

Zubaidah will also be barred from employing another maid.

Investigations by MOM in April 2007 revealed that Zubaidah's maid had not been paid her monthly salary since she started work in January 2001. Zubaidah also falsely declared that she had paid her salary when renewing her Work Permit in January 2007.

MOM intervened and collected $19,398 in salary arrears for the maid.

In another recent case, Ravichandran s/o Ghandhi Raju was fined $2,500 on Jan 8 for failing to pay his maid for 14 months, amounting to $2,204.

Last Oct 31, Yeo Boey Hiang was fined $2,500 for failing to pay the salaries of her maid, totalling $6,340.

Mr Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, of Foreign Manpower Management Division, at MOM, said: 'All employers of foreign workers, including FDWs are required under the Work Permit conditions to pay salaries to their workers on time. We would also like to remind employers that they should not withhold the salaries of their workers on the pretext of safekeeping their salaries. The Ministry will prosecute errant employers.'

MOM says it is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) for employers not to pay their FDWs within seven days of their salary period. If found guilty, the employer can be fined up to $5,000, or jailed up to six months, or both.

Errant employers will also be barred from employing another FDW.

The Ministry urges FDWs who are not paid their salaries to seek assistance early by contacting its hotline at 1800 339 5505.