SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is investigating a firm that provides assisted living services to seniors for potentially flouting foreign manpower laws over the employment of maids who look after its elderly clients.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (June 13), MOM said it has “serious concerns” about Red Crowns Senior Living’s operating model as it could compromise the interests of its elderly clients and the well-being of migrant domestic workers.

Under Singapore’s laws, employers are responsible for the migrant domestic workers’ food, safety, medical care, job scope, accommodation and rest arrangements.

But in Red Crowns Senior Living’s case, while its elderly clients were the registered employers of the maids who care for them in facilities run by the company, the company “retained control of the workers’ key employment terms and deployment”, said MOM.

It added that this arrangement subjected the elderly clients to “unnecessary risks”, including the fact that the elderly client would be held responsible if the maids sustained a work-related injury, failed to receive timely salary payments, or were not provided sufficient rest or accommodation.

Some of the employers, when interviewed by MOM, indicated that they were unaware of these liabilities, the ministry said.

Responding to queries from TODAY, Red Crowns Senior Living chief executive Joshua Goh said that the company believes that it is "in compliance with all laws and regulations in all material respect”.

“We have been in discussions with the MOM prior to this and will work even closer and assist the MOM to resolve their concerns,” he said.

He added that the company has bought insurance for the maids and paid their salaries on time, even when there were delays in payments by some of its 130 elderly clients in 33 homes. 

On its website, Red Crowns Senior Living says that its assisted living differs from traditional nursing homes in that the seniors will “enjoy the care and support they require while keeping their independence”.

They will participate in various activities while being supervised by a community manager. Prices start from S$2,900 per month for co-living in a two-bedder room in a Housing and Development Board flat, inclusive of meals, utilities and 24-hour caregiving.

The cost can go up to S$6,300 a month for a stay in a condominium room.

Media reports said the company was started in 2021.

In response to TODAY’s queries, a MOM spokesman said on Wednesday that the ministry started investigations into the firm's potential breaches of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act in November 2021.

The Ministry said that while it was informed that the workers were employed by Red Crowns Senior Living’s elderly clients, the employers did not actually have full control over the domestic workers’ food, medical care, accommodation, safety, job scope, salary, work deployment schedule and rest day arrangements — all of which subjected them to unnecessary risks.

“Notably, some of Red Crowns Senior Living’s clients had indicated to MOM that they were unaware of their legal liabilities as employers, such as being responsible if migrant domestic workers sustained a work-related injury or failed to receive timely salary payment(s),” MOM said. 

It added that investigations are still ongoing to establish the scale of Red Crowns Senior Living’s operations and potential employment-related offences.

The ministry also said it would be reaching out directly to the company’s elderly clients, their family members and the domestic workers to provide assistance.

Those affected may also reach MOM via email at mom_fmmd [at] mom.gov.sg.