2 Singapore tech firms under probe after staff salaries go unpaid for months

SINGAPORE – A home-grown robotics firm and its subsidiary are under probe for not paying workers their salaries for several months.

About 20 claims for unpaid wages have been lodged against the two firms, said the Manpower Ministry, CPF Board and Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) in a joint statement on Jan 14.

The two firms, based in the Tampines North area, are Otsaw Digital and its subsidiary, Otsaw Swisslog Healthcare Robotics.

The joint statement said: “The companies have since paid the outstanding salary arrears to 13 workers. TADM will continue to assist the remaining employees to recover their salaries.”

Part of the CPF arrears have been recovered and the CPF Board will continue to try and recover the remaining amount, it added.

The two firms also face action for flouting employment rules, and the case against Otsaw Digital is now before the courts.

One employee said Otsaw staff were told in early 2025 that there could be delays in getting their salaries.

It was only when the delay turned into several months – without salaries or CPF contributions – that the employee got worried and anxious.

The employees The Straits Times spoke to declined to be named for this report.

One employee said it was not possible to settle key expenses like monthly Housing Board mortgage payments after funds in the CPF account dried up without the expected monthly contributions.

The employee, who has young children and is the family’s main breadwinner, said: “My life has been very difficult for nearly a year, and I have taken up a second job on a part-time basis.

“It is difficult to understand the situation because the company seemed to be doing well.”

If the workers were retrenched, at least they could get a severance package, the employee added.

Another employee said: “I am in a middle of a job search and waiting to find the right time to quit.”

In the joint statement, the authorities said employers are required to pay salaries and CPF contributions on time.

Employees in Singapore who are not getting paid on time can file their claims with TADM, which will help workers recover salaries through mediation or by referring the case to the Employment Claims Tribunals.

Employees who need help can contact TADM at

tal.sg/tadm/contact-us

.

Otsaw founder and chief executive Ling Ting Ming said the firm’s human resource department has been in touch with employees and is working on resolving the problems quickly.

He said: “The company will be getting funds to resolve this, latest by the end of January. I hope you can let us resolve this internally in an amicable way to prevent further escalation and issues arising.”

He added that he is out of town to raise funds and will be back in Singapore by end-January.