The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has suspended the work pass privileges of two employers for failing to arrange for their workers to undergo rostered routine testing for Covid-19.

This means they will no longer be able to continue employing the two workers, and cannot hire any new workers through the work pass system until the suspension is lifted.

MOM, the Economic Development Board, Building and Construction Authority and Health Promotion Board said in a joint statement yesterday: "The affected workers have been given a grace period to look for alternative employment as they were not complicit with the breach of requirements."

MOM took action after the employers failed to provide valid reasons or submit an exemption request for their workers, the statement said. Both employers had failed to send one worker each for testing, the statement added.

Since Sept 5, it has become compulsory for employers to send their workers for testing, and most workers from a pool of about 260,000 who were required to get tested have either undergone testing or are scheduled to do so.

About 2,200 workers - who are required to undergo testing but have not done so - cannot return to work until they get tested as their access code status will remain red.

Workers can also have a red access code for three other reasons: If• they are placed on precautionary quarantine while their exposure to a positive case is under probe, if they no longer have the TraceTogether app installed on their mobile phone or if they are required to undergo testing but did not do so.

Workers must have a green access code, which they can show on their phones, before they are allowed to return to work.

MOM said it will continue to take action against errant employers or workers who persistently fail to schedule or attend rostered routine testing sessions without valid reasons.

Penalties include the revocation of work passes and suspension of work pass privileges.