Employment of Special Needs Persons in Public Sector and Measures to Sustain Their Long-term Employability

Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many persons with special needs are currently employed in the public sector; (b) what are the main challenges faced by these public sector employees; and (c) what are the measures to support them in sustaining long-term employment in the public sector.

As at December 2023, about one in 420 public officers are Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Across all sectors, employees with disabilities have generally shared that the lack of disability knowledge, understanding and acceptance among employers, supervisors and co-workers were key challenges they faced. Organisations that have taken steps to address these are able to cultivate a more inclusive workplace environment that supports the integration and retention of employees with disabilities.

The Public Sector builds on the national support available for all employers to address the above challenges and will continue to do so to support the employment of PwDs.

First, improving disability awareness and knowledge. Under the Open Door Programme (ODP), administered by SG Enable, PwDs and employers receive up to one year of customised employment support from trained job coaches. Job coaches will advise employers on how they can create accessible work environments and make reasonable job accommodations to enable employees with disabilities to perform their roles effectively and work well with co-workers. Grants under the ODP also provide subsidies for employers and their employees without disabilities to attend workshops that equip them with the knowledge and skills to interact with, hire, integrate and retain employees with disabilities in their organisation.

Next, fair employment practices. The Public Service is aligned with the Tripartite Guidelines for Fair Employment Practices and does not discriminate job applicants and officers based on their disabilities. Officers are recruited based on their competencies and their performance is assessed based on their work outcomes.

Finally, providing flexibility. Public agencies have adopted the Tripartite Standards for Flexible Work Arrangements and Work-Life Harmony. All officers, including those with disabilities, can apply for flexi-load (e.g. part-time), flexi-place (e.g. hybrid work arrangements) and flexi-time (e.g. allowing later start and end times), where the nature of the job allows.