Employment & labour — Topics

2 Sep 2019

Steps Taken to Increase Variety of Part-time Work Options for Mothers Returning to Work

The Minister for Manpower highlighted that mothers with young children prefer full-time work with flexible arrangements over part-time work, supported by survey data from the Prime Minister's Office.
The government promotes flexible work arrangements through increased funding and tripartite partnerships, with over 90% of employees now in companies offering some work flexibility.
Accessibility and affordability of childcare have been improved, including doubled pre-school capacity and enhanced subsidies for those working at least 56 hours a month.
The Adapt and Grow initiative provides employment facilitation services, including the enhanced Career Trial program now covering part-time jobs, to support mothers returning to the workforce.
Additional support is available through career centres like WSG's Careers Connect and NTUC-e2i to assist jobseekers in finding suitable part-time work options.

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2 Sep 2019

Hiring, Developing and Strengthening Singaporean Core

Patrick Tay questioned the need for the Tech@SG programme, which helps tech firms hire foreign talent, amid efforts to strengthen the Singaporean core, while Minister Chan Chun Sing defended it as essential to build a critical mass of tech talent and stay competitive globally, emphasizing local development efforts like TeSA and IHL courses.
Chan highlighted that global tech talent shortages mean Singapore must complement local talent with foreign experts to meet demand from growing tech firms, citing examples like Alibaba and Mastercard, and argued that past successes in semiconductors show such strategies can eventually benefit Singaporeans.
Tay raised follow-up questions on safeguards for Singaporean PMEs, including compliance with the Fair Consideration Framework and use of capability transfer programmes, to which Chan confirmed these measures are in place and stressed the need to support fast-growing sectors without capping top opportunities.
Chan stated that Tech@SG could be considered for other sectors like finance if they face similar talent shortages, but clarified the focus is on highly skilled roles managing global teams, not routine positions, and drew parallels to how Singapore built its financial sector by initially bringing in global expertise.
In response to Pritam Singh’s query on leadership development, Chan affirmed that the government plans to progressively localise expertise in tech as it did in finance, ensuring Singaporeans learn from global talent and gain leadership opportunities over time.

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2 Sep 2019

Statistics on Employment of Persons with Disabilities

The Minister of State for Manpower shared that the resident employment rate for persons with disabilities (PwDs) aged 15–64 is 28.6%, with higher rates for those aged 40–49 and lower rates for those aged 65 and above, while the main employing sectors are community, social, personal services, food services, administrative support, and manufacturing.
Government support schemes like the Special Employment Credit, Open Door Programme, Career Trial, Workfare Income Supplement, and Workfare Training Support have helped over 5,700 employers hire more than 8,600 PwDs, with ongoing initiatives such as job redesign guides and a new workgroup to enhance employment pathways.
A member’s query about a 5% employment rate was addressed by clarifying that it was based on outdated, composite data, while current data from the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey is more accurate; suggestions for enhanced tax incentives, affirmative action, and a one-stop employment portal were noted for further study.

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6 Aug 2019

Rationale for Setting Seven Days as Minimum Legal Entitlement for Annual Leave

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang questioned the rationale behind the seven-day minimum statutory annual leave and asked if there are plans to increase it to improve Singapore's international ranking.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that the Employment Act sets seven days as the minimum annual leave entitlement for employees with less than one year of service, with the amount increasing with years of service up to 14 days, to balance employee protection and business needs.
She noted that Singapore's annual leave entitlement is comparable to jurisdictions like Hong Kong and Taiwan, and is part of a broader package that includes paid sick leave and childcare leave, which may be more limited in other countries.
The Ministry of Manpower stated there are currently no plans to increase the minimum statutory annual leave entitlement, but will continue monitoring trends and reviewing policies regularly.

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6 Aug 2019

Time from Lodgement of Claim at Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and Referral to Employment Claims Tribunal

Ms Anthea Ong asked for the average and median time between lodging a claim at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and referral to the Employment Claims Tribunal over the last three years, and how many cases exceeded eight weeks.
In 2017 and 2018, about 85% of salary claims under the Employment Claims Act were resolved at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, with the remaining 15% referred to the Employment Claims Tribunal.
Over 80% of salary claims under the Employment Claims Act were resolved within eight weeks, while cases referred to the Employment Claims Tribunal tend to be more complex and may take longer.

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6 Aug 2019

Plans to Support Workers in Economic Slowdown and Effectiveness of Past Plans

The Minister for Manpower outlined that previous downturn measures, such as during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, helped reduce retrenchments and keep unemployment below 5%, and currently, the government is monitoring the economy and ready to enhance support through initiatives like Adapt and Grow, which includes employment assistance, training programmes, and career facilitation services.
In response to concerns about a prolonged slowdown, the Minister stated it is premature to specify new measures, emphasizing the need to assess whether the slowdown is cyclical or structural, and confirmed that planned reductions in foreign worker quotas for the services sector will proceed to promote sustainable restructuring.
The government has existing supports for older workers, including the Special Employment Credit and job redesign programmes, and is working on additional recommendations from a tripartite group to bolster senior employment amid demographic changes.

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6 Aug 2019

Professional Conversion Programmes for Mainstream Teachers Interested in New Career as Pre-school Educators

Workforce Singapore, SkillsFuture Singapore, and the Early Childhood Development Agency jointly run the Professional Conversion Programme and Place-and-Train Programme under the Adapt and Grow initiative to equip mid-career individuals for pre-school teaching roles.
Over the past three years, more than 2,000 jobseekers have been placed with over 400 employers in the early childhood sector, with participating pre-schools receiving salary and training support.
The government aims to attract more mid-career individuals to fill demand in the expanding pre-school sector and will continue raising awareness of these programmes among employers and jobseekers.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar inquired about target numbers to meet sector demand and the review of salary and professional development support under the Adapt and Grow initiative.
The Minister for Manpower highlighted the importance of career development and attractiveness of pre-school roles, noting the Ministry of Social and Family Development oversees these aspects through ECDA's commitments to Anchor Operators.

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6 Aug 2019

Imposing Criminal Liability on Employers

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarified that the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) already covers both entities and individuals, allowing for criminal liability of entities in harassment cases, with vicarious liability possible under common law principles.
Anthea Ong questioned whether POHA’s inclusion of entities primarily protects them as victims rather than holding them liable for harassment, especially in the context of workplace harassment and employer responsibility.
The response emphasized that POHA explicitly provides for entity liability under sections like 3 and 5, but any expansion of corporate criminal responsibility must balance employee protection with business burdens, with existing non-criminal measures like tripartite guidelines also in place.

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5 Aug 2019

Adoption of Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs by Employers Since its Introduction

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira queried the Minister for Manpower about the number of employers who have adopted the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs and the utilisation rate of such leave among eligible employees since its introduction in March 2018.
As of end June 2019, about 700 employers with 242,000 workers have adopted the Standard.
The Ministry collects data on the utilisation of paid leave rather than unpaid leave, as employees typically use paid leave first to reduce income loss, but they will consider collecting unpaid leave data in the future.

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5 Aug 2019

Twenty-fifth and 50th Percentiles of Annual Leave Entitlement Received by Employees and Management

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for the 25th and 50th percentiles of annual leave entitlement for rank and file employees, management and executives, and all employees.
The Ministry of Manpower stated it does not have records of the requested data.
The debate concluded without the provision of the specific statistics asked for.

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5 Aug 2019

Sector Employing Most Number of Employment Pass Holders and S Pass Holders

The Services sector employs the most S Pass holders, with Food Services showing the highest quota usage, while Employment Pass (EP) holders are most concentrated in the Infocomm sector within Services, where their share reaches about one-third.
S Pass holders face a 10–15% quota cap relative to total workforce (excluding EP holders), and both S Pass and EP holders must meet minimum qualifying salaries that are regularly reviewed to protect local wages; firms hiring EP holders must also comply with the Fair Consideration Framework to prevent discriminatory hiring and excessive national concentration.
The Ministry indicates no immediate plan to introduce a nationality-based quota, as current measures like quotas, salary criteria, and scrutiny of hiring practices aim to maintain balanced employment and local job outcomes without such an additional constraint.

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5 Aug 2019

Support for Professional Conversion Programme and Measures to Help Companies and Employees Vulnerable to Technology Disruption

Over 2,000 companies have participated in the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) since 2016, placing more than 10,000 individuals in new roles across over 100 programmes in 30 sectors, with plans to expand in growth areas.
The government emphasises that technology disruption primarily changes tasks rather than entire jobs, and actively works with companies to reskill at-risk workers before retrenchment, redeploying about 1,300 workers last year.
Measures include proactive engagement with companies on restructuring plans, offering salary and training support under the Adapt and Grow initiative, and raising awareness to encourage more companies to partner with Workforce Singapore for upskilling.

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5 Aug 2019

Industry or Service Sector Employing Most Number of Senior Workers

In 2018, the Wholesale Trade sector employed the most senior workers (aged 55 and above) with 54,500, representing 23% of its workforce, comparable to the national average of 24%.
The Ministry of Manpower provides support through wage offsets like the Special Employment Credit, job redesign grants, and training programmes to enhance senior workers' employability and encourage retention.
Foreign workforce policies are being calibrated, including reducing Dependency Ratio Ceilings in the Services sector, to ensure Singaporeans, including senior workers, have access to good jobs.
The Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers is reviewing retirement and re-employment ages, with recommendations expected by September.

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5 Aug 2019

Mediation Cases by Tripartite Alliance Dispute Management Subsequently Withdrawn in Last Three Years Due to Payment or Resolution through Formal Settlement Agreement

The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) resolved about 15,000 salary claims between April 2017 and December 2018, with two-thirds settled through payment or registered settlement agreements.
Settlement amounts are not directly compared to initial claims due to verification of actual salary arrears during mediation, with most settlements close to or matching the valid amounts claimed.
After settlements, TADM monitors payments and reports that 93% of claimants received full payment, 4% partial, and 3% none, with enforcement actions taken against non-paying employers.

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5 Aug 2019

Amendment of Employment of Foreign Manpower Act to Ensure Clearer Standards on Well-being of Foreign Domestic Workers

Anthea Ong proposed amending the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act to set clearer standards for foreign domestic workers’ well-being, including mandatory rest times, minimum food provisions, and minimum accommodation standards.
The Ministry of Manpower stated that the Act already requires employers to provide adequate food, rest, and proper accommodation, with guidelines detailed on its website and communicated during orientation programmes.
MOM noted that fixed rest and work hours are impractical due to varying household needs, and encouraged employers and workers to agree on arrangements through open communication.

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5 Aug 2019

Effectiveness of Employment Assistance Schemes Targeted at Various Age Groups

The median duration of unemployment in Singapore was eight weeks in 2017 and 2018, with older workers facing longer job searches—about five weeks for those aged 15–24 and 13 weeks for those aged 50 and above in 2018.
The Adapt and Grow initiative, including programs like Professional Conversion Programmes and the Career Support Programme, helped about 30,000 jobseekers find jobs in 2018, with nearly 16,000 aged 40 and above.
Employment assistance schemes have shown effectiveness, with nine in ten PCP participants remaining employed after 18 months and about two-thirds receiving higher wages, while seven in ten CSP participants stayed employed after the same period.
The government plans to strengthen outreach, monitor and review existing programs, and proactively support at-risk workers to improve the effectiveness of employment assistance.
MOM and WSG will continue tracking labour market outcomes across age groups and collaborate with tripartite partners to help Singaporeans secure good jobs through Adapt and Grow.

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5 Aug 2019

Number of Qualified Therapists for Special Needs Children

There are approximately 3,600 registered occupational, physiotherapists, and speech therapists in Singapore, with over half in the public healthcare sector and about 20% in private practice.
About 15% of registered therapists work in government-funded social service agencies, supported by three Therapy Hubs that have grown from 170 to 260 therapists since 2015.
The average annual student intake for occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech therapy courses from 2016 to 2018 was around 220, with ongoing efforts to align training with sector demand.

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5 Aug 2019

Number of Recipients of Scholarships under Community Care Manpower Development Award

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked the Minister for Health about the number of students, mid-career switchers, community care staff, and general practitioners who have received scholarships under the Community Care Manpower Development Award since its launch and whether the targets have been met.
The Community Care Manpower Development Award was launched in April 2017 with a budget of about $12 million up to 2020 to attract new entrants and develop in-service staff in the community care sector.
To date, close to $8 million has been committed to support around 250 individuals in training and skills upgrading, with over 200 awardees being in-service staff, about 10% of whom are mid-career candidates.
The remaining awardees include students and general practitioners, covering fields such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and gerontology.
The Minister did not directly state whether the numbers have met the targets, but the committed funds and awardee figures indicate progress under the programme.

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5 Aug 2019

Sufficiency of Number of Nurses at Public Hospitals

The Minister for Health acknowledged that while Singapore has a comparable nurse-to-population ratio, the number of nurses in public healthcare has increased from 21,700 in 2013 to 25,600 in 2018.
To address future demand in an aging population, the government is implementing initiatives such as raising nursing’s profile, creating conversion programs for mid-career professionals, and expanding training courses.
Efforts also include reviewing nurses’ remuneration, improving career progression, and enhancing productivity through automation and shifting care to the community.
The Ministry of Health will continue to review nursing manpower needs in line with demographic and disease trends while collaborating with educational and healthcare institutions.

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5 Aug 2019

Work Injury Compensation Bill

The Work Injury Compensation Bill aims to repeal and re-enact the existing Act to improve compensation for employees injured at work and to regulate insurance providers for liability under the Act.
The Bill was presented by the Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, on behalf of the Minister for Manpower, and was read for the first time in Parliament.
The Second Reading of the Bill is scheduled for the next available sitting of Parliament, and the Bill will be printed for further consideration.

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