‘Are interns being exploited and bullied?’ — Mum expresses concern after her child gets 5.5-day work weeks and $40 MC deduction

SINGAPORE: A concerned mother took to Reddit to ask if interns are being ‘exploited and bullied these days.’

She explained in a post on the r/askSingapore forum that she recently found out that one of her kids works 5.5 days per week. She also said that the company told her kids that if they take medical leave, they will receive a $40 deduction.

On top of that, her kid was informed that their job duties could not be related to their school projects, which defeats one of the key purposes of an internship: to gain relevant experience linked to academic learning.

Outraged by these conditions, the mother posed a pointed question to the community: “Are interns being exploited to work around MOM regulations?” She appeared to suspect that companies might be taking advantage of interns as a form of cheap, flexible labour, possibly bypassing rules meant to protect regular employees.

She also raised a couple of thoughtful questions to the forum: “Firstly, what was the original purpose of internships? Secondly, for those who have done their internships, what was your experience like?”

“School internship is the worst…”

In the comments section, many Singaporean Redditors shared that they had similar experiences during their younger years. They advised the mother to allow her son or daughter to go through it as well, suggesting it’s a valuable way for them to understand how the corporate world truly operates.

One Redditor remarked, “It’s better to let your child face the harsh realities of Singapore’s job market—unless, of course, you’ve been living under a rock or had everything handed to you on a silver platter. If it’s the latter, then sure, pass that on to your child. But otherwise, are you only going to let them face reality after they graduate? Twenty years ago, I had the same exploitation. Not 5.5 days, though.”

Another commented, “Put yourself into the hiring company’s shoes. Some of these “rules” come in when students can take multiple days of MC etc.

There’s no right way, and things can always go both ways. At least your kid will get to experience working life and how to handle relationships at the workplace.”

A third Redditor pointed out that the deduction for medical leave might be due to the intern not having completed three months with the company. They explained, “If your child has not worked more than three months at the company, they are not entitled to MC under the Employment Act. So, if they take MC, it will be counted as unpaid leave (hence the deduction). If they have worked for three months and above, they will be already entitled to pro-rated MC.”

A fourth agreed, writing, “Regarding the MC thing, if $40 is the daily rate, I think is reasonable. Even for actual employees, most companies do not give MC benefits until probation is over.”

Still, a few Redditors sympathised with the mother, saying they felt bad for interns who were often exploited and given ‘saikang work’ that no one else wanted to do.

One added, “School internship is the worst; the school usually throws them into some unknown SMEs as cheap labour. It is due to the low price of those companies willing to take them up.”

Under the Ministry of Manpower’s guidelines, employees become eligible for medical leave after completing at least three months of service. They must also notify their employer of their medical condition within 48 hours of being absent.

Read also: ‘Ignored and snapped at’ — Foreigner shares disappointment over his first Singapore visit after asking for directions

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