Employment & labour — Topics

9 Jul 2018

Fresh Graduates of Institutes of Higher Learning Hired by Public Service

Leon Perera inquired about the proportion of fresh graduates from various educational institutes hired by the public service as their first job and how this compares to other developed countries.
Ong Ye Kung provided data showing that 26% of autonomous university graduates, 7% of private education institution degree graduates, 13% of polytechnic graduates, and 13% of ITE graduates were employed in the public service six months after graduation.
The Ministry of Education stated that it does not have comparable statistics from other developed countries to address the comparison part of the query.

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9 Jul 2018

Published Data for Singapore's Gini Coefficient Measuring Income Inequality

The Department of Statistics publishes Singapore's Gini coefficient based on household income from work, which includes both employer and employee CPF contributions as compensation.
In 2017, the Gini coefficient including employer CPF was 0.459, while the version excluding employer CPF was 0.468, due to the wage ceiling on employer contributions.
DOS does not publish a Gini coefficient that excludes both employer and employee CPF contributions from household income from work.

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9 Jul 2018

Impact of Grab-Uber Proposed Takeover

The Grab-Uber merger affected 300 Uber employees with paid leave and compensation, and Grab took over contracts for 300 to 400 contract workers.
Over 9,000 Uber drivers joined Grab, while Workforce Singapore and NTUC are helping the remaining drivers find new employment and resolve contractual issues.
The Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority are monitoring the sector and will intervene to ensure fair competition and prevent market dominance.

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9 Jul 2018

Effectiveness of Professional Conversion Programme in Helping Participants to Switch Careers

Assoc Prof Randolph Tan questioned whether the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) has successfully met its aims in enabling career switches for participants.
Minister Josephine Teo reported that the PCP has placed over 10,000 PMETs into jobs since 2007, with completion rates above 90% and a significant increase in placements from 2016 to 2017.
The programme has expanded to include more sectors and types of support, such as same-sector occupation switches, intra-company reskilling, and Attach-and-Train schemes to prepare workers for future demand.

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9 Jul 2018

Managing Growth in Demand for Foreign Domestic Workers

Assoc Prof Randolph Tan raised concerns about the sustainability of growing demand for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and potential long-term issues, prompting a response from the Minister for Manpower.
Mrs Josephine Teo noted that FDW numbers have grown by 40% over the past decade, driven largely by elderly caregiving and family needs, and highlighted government efforts to expand alternatives like day care, home care, and preschool services to moderate this growth.
The government is implementing levy increases and adjustments, such as raising FDW levies to $300 and $450 for first and second workers and raising the qualifying age for concessions, while maintaining a $60 levy for households with caregiving needs.
Additional measures include the Household Services Scheme for part-time cleaning, a Settling-In Programme for new FDWs, and support from NGOs to address social friction and ensure FDWs’ rights and integration.

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9 Jul 2018

Employment Assistance for Fresh Graduates from Private Universities

Mr Murali Pillai asked if the Ministry of Manpower has plans to assist fresh graduates from private universities in gaining employment and to improve employer perceptions of their value.
Mrs Josephine Teo responded that private education institutions (PEIs) must equip graduates with industry-relevant skills and take responsibility for their employment outcomes, with the Ministry of Education highlighting programme relevance and assessing PEIs via the EduTrust scheme.
The Ministry of Education has enhanced Education and Career Guidance efforts in schools and mandated PEIs with degree programmes to conduct and publish graduate employment surveys to help students make informed career decisions.
The Ministry of Manpower, with tripartite partners, promotes progressive hiring practices that encourage holistic candidate assessment, as outlined in the Tripartite Standard on Recruitment Practices, which over 560 employers have adopted.
Employers are increasingly looking beyond education qualifications, using competency assessments or work trials to identify candidates with a good fit, supporting fair and merit-based recruitment.

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9 Jul 2018

Impact of Rising Minimum Fixed Monthly Salary Required for Employment Pass and S Pass Holders

The Ministry of Manpower regularly updates the qualifying salary threshold for Dependant’s Passes to ensure Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass holders can support themselves and their families in Singapore, while protecting those already here by keeping existing passes valid if the main holder stays with the same employer.
Most new EP and S Pass holders do not apply to bring dependants, and for those who do, the salary thresholds are clearly communicated and consistently applied; following the January 2018 increase, about 1% of Dependant Pass applications were rejected in the first half of the year.
The rejection rate was similar across sectors such as Professional Services, Infocomm, and Construction, and for employees of both small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and non-SMEs.

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9 Jul 2018

Maternity Leave for Teachers During School Holiday

Rahayu Mahzam asked if the Ministry will review maternity leave for teachers giving birth during school holidays, as they lose leave days since holidays count as annual leave.
Ong Ye Kung explained that maternity leave follows Civil Service guidelines and the Child Development Co-Savings Act, with eight weeks of paid leave that must be continuous and another eight weeks flexible over 12 months.
He noted teachers have a unique work cycle with 12 weeks of school holidays annually, which is longer than other civil servants’ leave entitlements, and mentioned pro-family options like part-time work and various leave provisions.

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9 Jul 2018

Top Three Sectors with Highest Number of Salary-related Dispute Cases

The top three sectors with the highest number of salary-related dispute cases involving Work Permit holders are Construction, Manufacturing, and Wholesale and Retail Trade, accounting for 2,600 claims or 83% of all such cases from April to December 2017.
Of these 2,600 cases, only 280 workers (11%) had their salaries paid electronically, though a recent MOM survey showed 76% of foreign workers are now paid electronically, up from 67% in 2014.
Employers are already required to pay Work Permit holders electronically if requested, and MOM has been facilitating bank account openings and encouraging electronic payments since 2014.
MOM and partners will continue to work with stakeholders to improve electronic payment take-up rates and consider mandating it in the future.

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9 Jul 2018

Implementing Tripartite Standards on Managing Workplace Abuse and Harassment

K Thanaletchimi asked whether the Ministry for Manpower will consider establishing tripartite standards on managing workplace abuse and harassment and review the existing advisory into formal guidelines.
Josephine Teo responded that a multi-pronged approach is already in place, including the Protection from Harassment Act, the Tripartite Advisory, and the Tripartite Standard on Grievance Handling, which covers harassment complaints.
Over 630 employers have adopted the Grievance Handling Standard, and employees are encouraged to report harassment to employers, MOM, TAFEP, or seek redress through the courts or police.

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9 Jul 2018

Review of Section 89 of Employment Act to Allow Coverage of Community Hospital Stay

K Thanaletchimi asked whether the Employment Act's hospitalisation leave covers stays in community hospitals and suggested a review due to the increasing use of such facilities.
Mrs Josephine Teo clarified that employees certified by a government or employer-appointed doctor as ill enough for hospitalisation in an acute hospital or national centre are entitled to hospitalisation leave, regardless of whether they recuperate in an acute hospital, community hospital, or at home.
Employees not certified for acute hospitalisation but deemed unfit for work can still use paid sick leave instead.
The exchange highlights the current coverage of hospitalisation leave under Section 89 and addresses the potential need to consider community hospital stays within the framework.
The debate underscores the policy's flexibility in supporting employee health and adapting to changing healthcare trends.

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18 May 2018

Breakdown of Persons Employed in Accounts and Bookkeeping

Mr Patrick Tay asked for a yearly breakdown from 2012 to 2017 of employees in specific accounting and bookkeeping roles.
The Ministry provided combined figures for Accounting Associate Professionals and Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerks, but could not separate the eight sub-occupations due to insufficient data in their sample.
The response highlighted that detailed estimates for each individual occupation are not available for the given period.

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18 May 2018

Number of Companies Applying for WorkPro Grants

From 2013 to 2017, over 3,400 companies employing about 368,000 workers have benefited from WorkPro grants.
After the 2016 enhancement, the number of companies benefiting from the Job Redesign Grant increased from about 30 a year to about 440 a year.
WorkPro funding is disbursed only when companies demonstrate positive impact, requiring evaluations for age management and job redesign grants, and formalized flexible work arrangements with usage evidence for work-life grants.

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18 May 2018

Training and Support for Professionals in Special Needs Sector

There are approximately 1,900 professionals in the special needs sector, supported through continuing education, subsidised training, and leadership development programmes to enhance their skills and career progression.
To prevent burnout, measures include self-care courses, a 10-week paid Sabbatical Leave Scheme, mentoring, counselling services, and structured work hours to provide breaks and administrative time.
The government is monitoring the growing demand for special needs services and plans to increase the number of professionals, while working with voluntary welfare organisations to ensure adequate manpower and support structures.

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15 May 2018

Debate on President's Address

Multiple MPs emphasized that tackling income inequality and social stratification is a top priority for the new generation of leaders, arguing that while meritocracy is a core value, the government must provide targeted support in housing, education, and employment to ensure a fair starting point and uphold the social compact.
Several speakers highlighted the need for Singapore to undergo bold economic transformation, particularly by embracing the digital economy, investing in lifelong learning and skills upgrading, and preparing the workforce for technological disruptions and the rise of Southeast Asia's markets.
Concerns were raised about specific groups being left behind, including low-wage workers, mature workers, freelancers in the gig economy, and single parents, with calls for more robust policies such as expanding the Progressive Wage Model and improving retirement and housing adequacy.
MPs urged the government and tripartite partners to strengthen social mixing and inclusivity across different socio-economic groups through housing, education, and national service policies to prevent the formation of entrenched class divides.

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7 May 2018

Ministry of Manpower

The Ministry of Manpower outlined a strategy to create an agile, inclusive workforce and progressive workplaces through tripartism, focusing on business transformation, worker adaptation to technology, and stronger retirement adequacy via CPF and work options.
Support measures include scaling up schemes like Lean Enterprise Development and SkillsFuture for Enterprises, enhancing mid-career reskilling programs, and using technology to improve job matching through the MyCareersFuture portal.
The ministry will extend employment protections, promote fair wages through the Progressive Wage Model, support flexible work arrangements for caregivers, and improve inclusivity for seniors, persons with disabilities, and ex-offenders.
Foreign manpower policy will remain calibrated to support economic goals while protecting local workers, with efforts to transfer global expertise and build a complementary local-foreign workforce.
Initiatives to ensure safe workplaces, support self-employed and gig workers, and strengthen retirement planning include amending the Work Injury Compensation Act, expanding the Return-To-Work programme, and enhancing CPF consultation services.

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21 Mar 2018

Measures to Attract Legal Talent to Singapore Judiciary

The Minister for Law outlined Singapore’s efforts to attract top legal talent to the judiciary, emphasizing competitive remuneration and the appointment of highly regarded practitioners, while noting that judges here take a less steep pay cut compared to the UK.
He highlighted the importance of protecting the judiciary from public attacks and abuse, citing Singapore’s laws against scandalizing the courts and the contrast with the UK, where judicial morale has suffered due to media criticism and perceived lack of support.
The Minister stressed that Singapore’s judiciary enjoys high public trust and must be safeguarded to maintain the rule of law, with the government committed to supporting judicial independence and not joining in personal criticisms of judges.
In response to follow-up questions, it was clarified that judges in Singapore operate under a clean wage system with no separate pensions or medical benefits, and efforts are ongoing to uphold the judiciary’s standing domestically and internationally.

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20 Mar 2018

Mediations Handled by Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management

In 2017, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management handled 6,000 salary-related mediation cases, with 79% settled amicably, 12% referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals, and 9% involving non-attendance.
When either party refuses to attend mediation, claimants can still have their case adjudicated by the Employment Claims Tribunals, which may award full payment and costs if the claim is valid.
There is no salary cap for filing claims at TADM, and there is agreement to improve staff training to better advise claimants on referring unresolved cases to the tribunal.

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19 Mar 2018

CPF Contributions for Apprentices and Interns from Institutes of Higher Learning

Patrick Tay asked whether employers must contribute CPF for apprentices and interns from various institutions including ITEs, polytechnics, universities, and private education providers.
Lim Swee Say clarified that employers do not need to contribute CPF for students from ITE, polytechnics, or autonomous universities if the training is approved by their institutions.
For students from private education providers or private universities, CPF contributions are exempt only if they are in MOE-subsidized full-time programs and the training is institution-approved.
The list of approved MOE-subsidized programs is available on the MOE website.

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19 Mar 2018

Hiring of Workers above Re-employment Age of 67 in Ministries and Statutory Boards

Patrick Tay asked about the Public Service Division's stance on hiring workers over 67 in ministries and statutory boards and whether they can extend employment beyond that age.
Teo Chee Hean replied that public agencies can hire or re-employ officers above 67 if their services are needed.
As of 31 December 2017, about 1,400 public officers were aged 67 and above.

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