Employment & labour — Topics

15 Aug 2016

Update on Effectiveness of Compulsory Day off Policy for Foreign Domestic Workers

The Ministry of Manpower reported that 97.5% of foreign domestic workers received at least one rest day per month in 2015, up from 53% in 2010, and over 55% received a weekly rest day, up from 13% in 2010.
There were about 40 complaints from 2014 to 2015 regarding rest days or compensation, representing less than 0.02% of the FDW population, with no violations found; most cases involved clarifications about agreements or compensation.
The ministry has enhanced the In-Principle Approval letter to clearly outline salary, rest days, and compensation in the FDW's native language to prevent misunderstandings, and FDWs can seek help via the MOM hotline.

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15 Aug 2016

Redesigning Home Team Jobs

The Home Team regularly redesigns jobs to adapt to evolving threats and leverage technology, ensuring officers remain relevant and productive across their careers.
Specific examples include dual-training Fire Rescue Specialists in firefighting and emergency medical skills, and exploring Unmanned Surface Vessels for Police Coast Guard surveillance to free officers for critical tasks.
Older officers are supported through retraining and redeployment, such as Singapore Prisons Service officers becoming Reintegration Officers to supervise offenders post-release.
Job redesign aims to enhance effectiveness, provide officers with broader skills, and maintain operational flexibility without compromising security.
These efforts are ongoing to keep Home Team jobs challenging and ensure officers can contribute effectively to Singapore's safety and security.

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15 Aug 2016

Private Hire Driver's Vocational Licence for Permanent Residents and Work Permit Holders

Dennis Tan asked why Permanent Residents and Work Permit holders can apply for a Private Hire Driver’s Vocational Licence (PDVL).
Khaw Boon Wan explained that existing limousine and car rental companies already employ these individuals as drivers, and the PDVL aims to avoid disrupting such services during regulatory changes.
Permanent Residents and Work Permit holders can only drive as employees of registered companies, unlike Singaporeans who can operate independently as sole proprietors for services like Uber or Grab.

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15 Aug 2016

Employment of Stay-at-home Mothers in Public Sector

Patrick Tay inquired whether the public sector hires stay-at-home mothers, not those on flexible work arrangements, and if not, whether it could engage them for home-based work, as well as how many are currently employed.
Teo Chee Hean, representing the Prime Minister, stated that public agencies offer freelancing opportunities for stay-at-home mothers with relevant skills but cannot track their numbers as family status is not a selection criterion.
He added that part-time and telecommuting options are available for mothers where job roles permit, with about 5% of Civil Service mothers on part-time arrangements and a quarter having telecommuted experience.

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15 Aug 2016

Recourse for Employers of Foreign Domestic Workers with Mental or Critical Illnesses

Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked about recourse for employers whose foreign domestic workers (FDWs) have pre-existing mental or critical illnesses not covered by compulsory insurance and whether such illnesses should be mandated for coverage.
Lim Swee Say explained that FDWs must be certified fit by a Singapore-registered doctor and declare their medical history, with false declarations leading to work pass revocation, court charges, and permanent bans from working in Singapore.
Employers bear the cost of medical treatment for FDWs, including undiscovered illnesses, but current compulsory insurance covers 97% of inpatient and day surgery bills at public hospitals, with assistance available for those facing genuine difficulties.
Mandating coverage for pre-existing illnesses would raise insurance costs for all employers, so it is carefully considered, though employers can voluntarily purchase additional insurance or conduct more medical checks before hiring.

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15 Aug 2016

Qualifying for Maternity Protection under Child Development Co-Savings Act and Employment Act

Tin Pei Ling asked whether a medical report is the only recognized document to qualify for maternity protection under the Child Development Co-Savings Act and Employment Act, and if a female employee who qualified for protection can appeal unfair dismissal after being dismissed following a pregnancy announcement but later suffering a miscarriage.
Lim Swee Say clarified that pregnancy certification for maternity protection under both acts can be in the form of a memo, letter, or medical report signed by a registered medical practitioner.
He stated that maternity protection against unfair dismissal applies throughout the pregnancy, even if a miscarriage occurs later, and employees can appeal to the Ministry of Manpower for investigation and appropriate action under the Employment Act.

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15 Aug 2016

Review of Government's Demand Aggregation Contracts

The Government uses VITAL to aggregate demands for outsourced manpower services through open tenders on the GeBIZ portal, allowing public agencies to procure temporary staff efficiently.
All employment agencies in VITAL’s contracts must comply with prevailing laws, ensuring workers receive entitlements like leave, medical benefits, and overtime pay.
VITAL collaborates with the Ministry of Manpower to monitor compliance, investigates any feedback on violations, and may terminate contracts if non-compliance is substantiated.
VITAL is considering adopting recent guidelines from MOM, NTUC, and SNEF to further ensure fair employment terms in outsourced contracts.

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15 Aug 2016

Government Oversight of Contracts for Healthcare Workers Recruited for Public Healthcare Institutions through Private Agencies

Ms K Thanaletchimi raised concerns about the lack of oversight by the Ministry of Health on public healthcare institutions using private recruitment agencies, where workers face perpetual contract renewals without permanent tenure.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that public healthcare institutions use these agencies mainly for short-term manpower needs and ensure mandatory statutory contributions are made.
He clarified that contract terms, including tenure and renewals, are negotiated between agencies and workers, falling outside the purview of healthcare institutions and the Ministry.
The debate highlights the tension between meeting temporary staffing needs and protecting workers from indefinite contract renewals without permanent employment status.
This situation underscores the limited regulatory control the Ministry has over private agency employment terms in the public healthcare sector.

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15 Aug 2016

Effectiveness of Support Schemes in Helping PMETs Find New Jobs

Minister Lim Swee Say reported that the "Adapt and Grow" initiative has assisted 15,000 jobseekers in the first half of the year, with 4,000 PMETs and 6,000 rank-and-file workers securing jobs through enhanced support schemes.
The Government plans to proactively expand employment support and transform the Workforce Development Agency into Workforce Singapore (WSG) to better manage lifelong career transitions and match worker aspirations with business needs.
The Minister highlighted ongoing actions against "double weak" or "triple weak" companies to strengthen their Singaporean core, with the programme growing and further details available via parliamentary questions.

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11 Jul 2016

Graduate Employment Survey on Local and Overseas Graduates

Mr Png Eng Huat proposed a broader Graduate Employment Survey covering all local universities, overseas graduates, and transnational programmes to provide comprehensive employment data.
MOE currently publishes employment outcomes for local Autonomous Universities, with UniSIM results expected in 2018, and individual universities conduct standardized surveys for detailed degree-level data.
The Council for Private Education has piloted a survey for graduates of Private Education Institutions, and results will be made available to aid decision-making.
MOE does not track Singaporeans who pursue undergraduate studies overseas, limiting data on their employment outcomes.

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11 Jul 2016

Number of Female Bus Captains Employed by Public Bus Operators

The four public bus operators employ 575 female bus captains, with SBS Transit having 404, SMRT Corporation 142, Tower Transit Singapore 26, and Go-Ahead Singapore three, making up about 6% of total bus captains.
LTA is collaborating with operators to recruit more women, including part-time schemes for flexibility and enhanced maternity and childcare benefits from some operators.
Initiatives like part-time employment aim to attract women re-entering the workforce and those with family commitments.

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11 Jul 2016

Posting of Job Openings in Public Service on National Jobs Bank

Patrick Tay asked whether all Public Service job openings can be posted on the National Jobs Bank in addition to Careers@Gov.
Currently, agencies must separately post on both portals, but on average 268 public sector jobs (21% of total) are posted monthly on Jobs Bank.
PSD is working with WDA to create an interface between Careers@Gov and Jobs Bank to simplify posting, expected to be ready by year-end.

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11 Jul 2016

Incentives and Grants to Help Construction Companies Manage Labour Costs

Louis Ng asked about incentives and grants to help construction firms, especially SMEs, cope with rising foreign worker levy costs.
Lawrence Wong explained that the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF) has made nearly $800 million available since 2010, with $400 million committed to over 8,000 firms, mostly SMEs.
The CPCF supports workforce training and upgrading, offering up to 90% funding for local employee upgrades and 80% for Basic Skilled R2 workers to move to Higher Skilled R1 status.
Companies can also receive funding to mechanize operations and adopt productive technologies, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign manpower.
The government encourages the industry to utilize these incentives and grants to improve construction productivity and manage labor costs.

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11 Jul 2016

Payment of CPF Contributions and Workfare Income Supplement to Prison Inmates and Disabled Adults

CPF contributions are required for disabled adults only if their work arrangements involve an employee-employer relationship with earnings above a threshold, which typically does not apply to social enterprise programmes like those at MINDS.
Prison inmates in voluntary work programmes are not considered employees and thus do not require CPF contributions, as these programmes are part of rehabilitation rather than formal employment.
Workfare Income Supplement is available to disabled adults and prison inmates if they meet eligibility criteria, including making necessary CPF contributions, with the age requirement waived for persons with disabilities.

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11 Jul 2016

Local Employees Covered under Portable Medical Benefits Options Eligible for Higher Tax Deductions

The Minister noted that only about 4% of companies, covering roughly 20% of local workers, currently provide voluntary portable medical benefits, despite existing tax incentives.
The Government is shifting focus toward encouraging employer contributions to employees' Medisave accounts and leveraging MediShield Life as the primary platform for portable medical benefits.
The Minister indicated that the Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees already encourage employer Medisave contributions, and partners will continue efforts to promote broader adoption.

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11 Jul 2016

Difference between Workmen and Non-workmen in Employment Act

The distinction between workmen and non-workmen in the Employment Act is a legacy classification primarily used to define different hours of work, rest days, and annual leave provisions under Part IV, reflecting the different nature of their work.
The government intends to eventually remove this demarcation as the workforce evolves, and has already taken steps to narrow the gap by raising the salary threshold for non-workmen under Part IV to $2,500 while keeping the workmen's threshold at $4,500.
Whether a worker is classified as a workman depends on the nature of their duties; a worker spending over 50% of their time on manual tasks is considered a workman unless they hold a managerial or executive position.
Managers and executives earning less than $4,500 are not classified as workmen but are protected under other parts of the Employment Act, including salary protection, sick leave, and protection against unfair dismissal, with further enhancements planned such as the Employment Claims Tribunal.

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11 Jul 2016

Promoting Safer Workplace Culture given Spate of Worker Deaths

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef raised concerns about the root causes of recent workplace deaths and injuries, and asked about planned interventions.
Lim Swee Say highlighted a deteriorating workplace safety situation, with a rise in fatalities, especially in construction, due to inadequate risk assessments, poor planning, and low safety awareness.
The Ministry of Manpower outlined a four-pronged strategy focusing on awareness, capability building, stricter enforcement, and harsher penalties, including expanded stop-work orders and targeted inspections.
Additional measures include assistance programmes like SCAV+, industry-wide safety reviews, and new regulations requiring designers and developers to ensure safety during construction.
Emphasis was placed on collective responsibility, with the government, industry, and workers needing to proactively foster a safer workplace culture.

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11 Jul 2016

Employment Claims Bill

The Employment Claims Bill aims to swiftly resolve workplace disputes through mediation and by establishing dedicated Employment Claims Tribunals with specific jurisdiction, powers, and administrative procedures.
The bill was introduced by the Minister of State for Manpower, Mr. Teo Ser Luck, and was read for the first time, with a second reading scheduled for a future parliamentary sitting.
The legislation includes provisions for related amendments to other Acts to ensure consistency and support the new dispute resolution framework.

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11 Jul 2016

Private Continuing Education and Training Centres' Contribution to SkillsFuture Initiatives

Private Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres are integral to SkillsFuture, providing publicly accessible, industry-relevant courses with government subsidies, as established by the former Workforce Development Agency.
The government is open to expanding Earn and Learn Programmes to private CET Centres if they meet capability, willingness, and industry recognition criteria, with some centres already offering similar work-study programmes.
The CET system is continuously expanding to meet evolving workforce needs, including for older professionals and vulnerable workers, through tripartite efforts and responsive programme rollout.
SkillsFuture is inclusive and can encompass training from various providers, including private companies, provided they offer accessible, industry-recognised programmes and address broader sectoral needs.

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11 Jul 2016

Government's Plans to Prevent Racial Discrimination at Workplaces

The Ministry of Manpower and TAFEP use a multi-pronged approach combining advisory support and enforcement actions, such as warnings and curtailing work passes, to address workplace discrimination, with no repeat cases among penalized employers.
A 2014 survey showed two-thirds of firms implemented fair employment practices, with next survey planned for 2018 to include both employer and employee perspectives.
TAFEP runs an Exemplary Employer Award to recognize inclusive workplaces and will step up public education and HR training to promote merit-based hiring.
Some Members raised suggestions like surveying employees more directly and linking fair practices to government tenders, which the Ministry will consider through tripartite discussions.

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