Employment & labour

Louis Ng expressed relief that discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals is covered under current employment guidelines but urged for clearer communication on the TAFEP website regarding this coverage. He also advocated for the introduction of parent care leave, emphasizing the importance of supporting those caring for elderly parents, similar to childcare leave provisions. Rachel Ong highlighted the challenges faced by single caregivers due to return-to-office mandates and called for more firm policies around flexible work arrangements. Yeo Wan Ling discussed the need to normalize these arrangements and provide resources for small businesses. Dr. Koh Poh Koon detailed various government efforts to support workers at different career stages, including the introduction of the Jobseeker Support Scheme to assist those involuntarily unemployed.

Xie Yao Quan questioned the Education Minister about measures to enhance full-time job security for fresh graduates following the 2024 Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey, which revealed a decline in employment rates despite higher salaries. Jessica Tan highlighted the disparity between increased salaries and lower employment rates, asking for insights into the contributing factors and sector-specific variations. Patrick Tay sought clarification on the Ministry's plans to address rising unemployment rates among fresh graduates. The Minister of State for Education, Gan Siow Huang, remarked that while employment rates showed cyclical fluctuations influenced by market conditions, certain sectors continued to demonstrate strong hiring. She emphasized continuous monitoring of graduate employment outcomes and a commitment to ensuring graduates possess relevant skills to meet labor market needs.

Dr. Tan See Leng reported on Singapore's post-COVID employment landscape, noting that resident unemployment dropped from a pandemic peak of 4.8% to 2.8%, and highlighted wage growth exceeding inflation, with lower-wage workers seeing significant income increases. The Ministry of Manpower launched multiple initiatives to support workforce transformation, career development, and enhance protections for vulnerable groups, particularly senior workers and lower-wage earners. In addressing manpower needs, he emphasized the importance of foreign talent in sustaining economic competitiveness and job creation, while also noting measures to balance local job opportunities with foreign employment. The debate included calls to improve workplace safety, address underemployment, and foster inclusivity for all workers, particularly seniors and persons with disabilities.

Desmond Choo moved to reduce the budget allocation for the Ministry of Manpower, highlighting MOM's significant reforms aimed at enhancing workforce quality and addressing the challenges of an ageing workforce and underemployment. MOM was urged to take decisive action to improve senior worker participation and women's workforce involvement through tailored support and initiatives. Various parliamentarians expressed concern over skill-related underemployment and the need for better tracking of resident jobs to address potential imbalances caused by immigration policies. Suggestions included implementing quotas for women in leadership roles, promoting returnship programs for women returning to work, and re-evaluating the Employment Act to better protect workers facing restructuring and dismissal issues. The need for an integrated approach to workforce transformation was emphasized, focusing on job redesign, skills upgrading, and the mental well-being of employees.

Hazel Poa requested a breakdown of foreign worker levy amounts collected by sector over the past five years. Tan See Leng provided the requested information in a table format detailing the levy amounts across key sectors during that period.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the possibility of requiring employers to provide mandatory itemized pay slips in electronic form under the Employment Act. Tan See Leng confirmed that while itemized pay slips are currently required, they acknowledge the benefits of electronic payslips, such as improved traceability and reduced likelihood of being misplaced. The Ministry will further study this proposal while considering the concerns of small businesses and employees who may have limited access to electronic documents.

Hazel Poa asked about the medical specialties with the highest attrition rates at public hospitals since 2020 and what measures are in place to reduce these rates. Ong Ye Kung reported that attrition rates for specialists have varied between 1% and 7%, with smaller specialties experiencing more significant percentage changes. The Ministry is focusing on a long-term strategy to maintain a pipeline of new specialists and adapt training to the evolving healthcare needs. As the population ages, there is an increasing emphasis on training Family Physicians and Hospital Clinicians to provide integrated care rather than solely increasing the number of specialists.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Education about the percentage of work hours that teachers spend on teaching and preparation for the years 2022 and 2023. Chan Chun Sing responded that it is more than 50%.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang requested an update on the implementation of recommendations from the National Wellness Committee for Junior Doctors, specifically regarding Chief Wellness Officers, the Hospital Clinician Scheme, and Clusters pilot, as well as improvements in junior doctors' work hours. Dr. Janil Puthucheary reported that Chief Wellness Officers have been appointed across healthcare clusters, and the Hospital Clinician Scheme is operational in public hospitals with around 100 doctors participating. The Ministry of Health has also initiated pilots to enhance junior doctors' work hours, leading to the implementation of shift rosters and a limit on continuous working hours to no more than 24 hours in nearly half of all clinical departments.

Gerald Giam Yean Song sought information on the total government subsidies and support provided to Ubisoft Singapore from 2008 to 2024, including conditions for local talent development and mechanisms for subsidy claw-back if obligations are not met. The Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Alvin Tan, confirmed that companies receiving government support must meet key performance outcomes but could not disclose specific agreements due to confidentiality. He highlighted that past claw-back mechanisms could lead to revocation of incentives if terms are breached and noted that Ubisoft has trained over 780 locals, developed local leaders, and onboarded around 150 interns over its 15-year presence in Singapore. Tan reaffirmed the government's commitment to growing the local games ecosystem and the positive impact on job creation in the sector.

• The debate focused on strategies to revitalize Singapore's nightlife offerings to enhance tourism and local spending.
• The Singapore Tourism Board is promoting local bars and distilleries and collaborating with nightlife businesses on events to attract consumers.
• Rising wages and hiring challenges in the nightlife sector were highlighted, prompting calls for measures to support businesses, such as flexible work schemes and training grants.
• The government is working with the Singapore Nightlife Business Association to address challenges and support the sector's vibrancy and transformation.
• Changes in consumer behavior post-COVID, including increased online entertainment and health consciousness, are impacting the nightlife industry.

Hazel Poa requested data from the Minister for Transport regarding injuries and fatalities among workers on Work Permits or S Passes transported on lorries over the last decade. Chee Hong Tat reported a more than 25% reduction in injuries from 215 (2015-2019) to 161 (2020-2024) and noted an average of one fatality per year over the past ten years. The Ministry does not track the specific permits of workers involved in these accidents, focusing instead on overall worker safety improvements.

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower about investigations into employers allegedly receiving kickbacks from migrant workers. Tan See Leng reported that in 2024, the Ministry investigated approximately 250 cases, resulting in enforcement actions against 51 employers and prosecution of 12. On average, eight migrant workers were affected per employer, with each paying about $6,600 in kickbacks.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether performing artistes on work permits undergo the Settling-in Programme meant for certain migrant workers. Tan See Leng clarified that this programme is currently prioritized for first-time Work Permit holders in specific sectors such as construction, marine shipyard, process, and manufacturing. There are no plans to extend the programme to workers in the services sector at this time.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower for data on cases referred to the Ministry by the Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT) over the past five years, including the top three categories of these cases. Tan See Leng explained that the ECT handles salary-related and wrongful dismissal disputes and may refer cases to the Ministry for further investigation. He stated that the Ministry investigated fewer than five cases referred by the ECT in the past five years.

Jean See Jinli asked about the utilization rates of SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) across different sectors and enterprise sizes since 2022, and how the Ministry plans to boost usage among employers in sectors with lower-skilled workforces and higher retrenchment rates. Gan Kim Yong reported that over 36,200 enterprises have utilized SFEC, totaling $122 million disbursed, primarily among smaller enterprises in the wholesale trade, manufacturing, and construction sectors. The SFEC has been enhanced multiple times to benefit more enterprises, particularly those employing lower-wage workers. The Government plans to redesign SFEC into an online wallet format to ease cash flow concerns for employers by allowing immediate offset of costs for eligible initiatives.