Employment & labour — Topics

18 Sep 2023

Formal Procedures to Manage Workplace Discrimination

The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices require employers to implement proper grievance handling processes to manage workplace discrimination, and the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation will mandate this for companies with more than 25 employees.
The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices collaborates with tripartite partners and industry groups to assist employers in establishing these processes through guides, briefings, training, and workshops.
Companies are encouraged to adopt formal procedures to manage grievances amicably and maintain a harmonious workplace, with the government and tripartite partners providing support and guidelines for implementation.

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18 Sep 2023

Complaints of Workplace Discrimination to Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices

Pritam Singh asked how many of the annual workplace discrimination complaints to TAFEP and MOM over the last five years came from employees at companies with under 25 staff.
Tan See Leng stated that employees at small firms with fewer than 25 employees are not initially covered by the Workplace Fairness Legislation but remain covered by the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
From 2018 to 2022, about 35% of annual workplace discrimination complaints were from employees at firms with fewer than 25 employees.
TAFEP can advise these employees, require small firms to correct breaches, and suspend work pass privileges in serious cases, while also educating and building compliance capabilities.
The Workplace Fairness Legislation and Tripartite Guidelines together aim to provide strong protection against all forms of workplace discrimination.

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18 Sep 2023

Availability of Accommodation and Employers' Commitment to Productivity Targets Before Approval of Work Passes for Foreign Workers

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked whether the Ministry of Manpower ensures sufficient accommodation for foreign workers before approving work passes, collaborates with employers committed to productivity measures, and how effective past schemes have been in reducing reliance on foreign workers.
The Ministry responded that employers must provide acceptable accommodation, and 17,000 new dormitory beds have been added since December 2022; productivity transformation is supported through Industry Transformation Maps and grants, but requiring individual firm commitments before approving passes is impractical.
The Ministry instead calibrates foreign workforce policies, such as reducing Dependency Ratio Ceilings for sectors like Construction and Process, to incentivize productivity improvements and reduce foreign worker reliance.

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18 Sep 2023

Limit of 12 Hours a Day for Workers Driving Lorries with Workers in Rear Deck

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked how the Ministry for Manpower determines the 12-hour daily work limit for drivers of lorries carrying workers in the rear deck.
Dual-role drivers are covered under Part 4 of the Employment Act, which sets a 12-hour work limit per day and requires breaks after six continuous hours.
The Workplace Safety and Health Act mandates a 30-minute rest before driving workers in the rear deck and requires employers to manage fatigue risk with scheduled breaks.
Employers must conduct risk assessments and adjust work hours as needed based on the nature and intensity of the driver’s work.
Guidelines recommend shifts not exceeding 12 hours and advise rest breaks of 15 minutes for every two hours of driving.

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18 Sep 2023

Plans to Facilitate Training and Recruitment of Manpower to Ensure Good Care and Service Standards in New Nursing Homes

The Ministry of Health collaborates with the Agency for Integrated Care to provide training programmes and subsidies for nursing home staff, including the Community Care Traineeship Programme and development awards for clinical and non-clinical skills.
Efforts since 2020 have focused on redesigning support care roles to equip workers with broader skills and create pathways for progression, alongside initiatives like job fairs, an online careers portal, and overseas recruitment for foreign staff.
Salaries in the community care sector, including for local and foreign nurses and support staff, have been enhanced over the past three years, with a recent sign-on bonus introduced for eligible fresh nursing graduates joining publicly-funded residential care organisations.

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18 Sep 2023

Self-Employed Persons Qualified for Government-paid Care Leave Schemes

Ms See Jinli Jean asked for data on self-employed persons qualifying for and claiming Government-paid childcare leave and enhanced childcare leave over the past five years.
Between 2017 and 2021, an average of 33,000 self-employed persons per year qualified for Government-paid childcare leave, with about 20% claiming it.
An average of 26,000 self-employed persons per year qualified for extended childcare leave, with only about 5% claiming it.
The government only pays for the fourth to sixth days of childcare leave, so the first three days are not covered, meaning the claims data does not fully reflect leave utilisation.
The data indicates that while many self-employed persons qualify for these leave schemes, actual claims are relatively low, especially for extended childcare leave.

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18 Sep 2023

Manpower Resources in Early Childhood Sector

Miss Rachel Ong queried whether guidelines will be issued on educators' use of personal mobile devices and if child progress updates must be recorded only on company-issued devices.
Nadia Ahmad Samdin inquired about checks and balances for reporting incidents of alleged ill-treatment, as well as monitoring and supporting the mental well-being of early childhood educators.
Nadia Ahmad Samdin also asked whether there is a shortage of qualified early childhood staff and what measures are being considered to increase manpower resources.
Mariam Jaafar asked if a code of conduct for preschool teachers can be implemented.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M noted that these questions were addressed in a previous oral reply on 18 September 2023.

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18 Sep 2023

Provision of Infrastructure to Create Structured Work Environments and Work Processes to Support Persons with Disabilities

SG Enable administers the Open Door Programme to provide grants and job support for hiring persons with disabilities, averaging 500 placements yearly from 2020 to 2022.
The programme includes a Job Redesign Grant for workplace modifications like calm rooms and assistive technology, and offers workshops to train employees in inclusive practices.
An Enabling Business Hub will launch in Jurong later this year to showcase inclusive hiring practices and support employers, starting with the logistics industry.

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18 Sep 2023

Increasing Job Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tech, Logistics and Healthcare Sectors

Christopher de Souza asked if the Ministry tracks SG Enable’s work with employers to increase job opportunities for persons with disabilities in tech, logistics, and healthcare.
Masagos Zulkifli explained that SG Enable engages employers through advisory services and partnerships to promote inclusive hiring.
SG Enable has helped create close to 800 job opportunities for persons with disabilities in these sectors from January 2021 to August 2023.
The Ministry encourages more employers to offer hiring opportunities for persons with disabilities.

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18 Sep 2023

Guidelines on Security and Privacy for Installation of CCTVs and Monitoring Devices at Workplaces

Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Manpower about current policy guidelines for employers installing CCTVs or monitoring devices at workplaces and how safety and security are balanced with worker privacy.
Tan See Leng responded that under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), organizations must comply with obligations when collecting personal data through surveillance devices, balancing workplace safety with privacy.
He noted that devices should be used only in areas with safety concerns, not in private spaces like restrooms, and employers must inform workers of the purpose and implement data protection safeguards.
The Advisory Guidelines on Key Concepts in PDPA provide details on rules, transparency, and data retention for such surveillance.

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18 Sep 2023

Addressing Bed Bug Issues at Migrant Worker Dormitories

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if the Ministry of Manpower would take additional measures beyond advising workers not to use infected mattresses to address bed bug issues in migrant worker dormitories.
Tan See Leng stated that dormitory operators are legally required under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act to maintain cleanliness and ensure dormitories are free from vectors like bed bugs.
The Ministry conducts regular inspections and has mechanisms for feedback, and if bed bugs are found, operators must remove infected mattresses and engage vector control services.
The Ministry will take enforcement action against operators or employers in cases of serious infestation or non-compliance.
The response emphasizes existing legal frameworks and inspection protocols as the primary means to address bed bug issues.

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18 Sep 2023

Structural Barriers that Make it Difficult for Private Hire Car Drivers to Leave Sector

Mariam Jaafar asked about structural barriers preventing private hire car drivers from leaving the sector and potential steps to address power imbalances with platform operators.
The Minister for Manpower noted that drivers may lack skills for other jobs but can access Career Conversion Programmes and Jobs and Skills Centres for reskilling and career support.
A tripartite workgroup recommended a framework to enable representative bodies to negotiate on behalf of platform workers, which would help balance power between drivers and operators.

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18 Sep 2023

Work Passes for Those who can Work in Singapore during Non-peak Hours and Return to Homes in Johor Bahru or Batam in the Day

Mr Don Wee proposed increasing work passes for specific night-shift jobs like production operators and truck drivers, allowing workers to live in Johor Bahru or Batam and commute daily.
The Ministry of Manpower explained that loosening Dependency Ratio Ceilings could make businesses overly reliant on foreign workers and that enforcing daily cross-border commutes would be impractical.
Employers needing temporary foreign manpower can instead use the Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities scheme, which offers flexibility while supporting Singapore's economic goals.

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18 Sep 2023

Review of Policies to Increase Leave for Parents of Multiple or Pre-term Babies

Louis Ng asked if the Government has reviewed or will review parental leave policies to increase leave for parents of multiple or pre-term babies.
Indranee Rajah, representing the Prime Minister, said the Government regularly reviews such policies and pointed to the 2018 Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs, which allows up to four weeks of additional unpaid leave for parents with pre-term, multiple birth, or other medically needy children under two.
She also highlighted enhancements from the 2023 Budget, including doubled Government-Paid Paternity Leave to four weeks and doubled Unpaid Infant Care Leave to 12 days per parent in the child’s first two years, which these parents can use.
The Government emphasized promoting family-friendly workplace practices through collaboration with tripartite partners rather than solely relying on legislated leave increases.

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18 Sep 2023

Support for Foreign Healthcare Workers Facing Difficulties in Finding Affordable Housing in Current High-rent Market

Dr Lim Wee Kiak inquired whether the Ministry of Health offers assistance to foreign healthcare workers struggling with high rental costs and if long-term housing could be included to attract them.
The Ministry of Health and public healthcare clusters provide housing allowances and are establishing hostel-like accommodation to support new foreign healthcare workers.
The Ministry will continue monitoring needs, including the potential for long-term accommodation, while private employers also offer similar support.

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18 Sep 2023

Companies Selected for Career Trial Programme

From January 2019 to June 2023, about 2,100 companies were selected as host companies out of nearly 3,000 applicants, with rejections mainly due to incomplete applications, lack of response to clarifications, and poor past placement outcomes.
Over the same period, approximately 3,800 jobseekers commenced Career Trial attachments and about 2,500 were employed after the trial.
Of those employed, around 80% remained in employment for at least three months.

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18 Sep 2023

Impact of Weaker Outlook for Export-driven Manufacturing Sector on Job Market and Prospects of Sector

The export-driven manufacturing sector faces a weaker outlook due to dampened global demand and an electronics downturn, though some segments like aerospace show bright spots, with the sector adding 4,400 jobs and retrenchments declining in the first half of 2023.
Key uncertainties for the industry include volatile global trade conditions and the electronics downturn, but employment in the sector is expected to remain resilient in the medium term, with manufacturing continuing as a long-term economic pillar.
Short-term measures include government schemes like the Enterprise Financing Scheme, Productivity Solutions Grant, and Enterprise Development Grant to support cash flow and automation, while long-term policies focus on encouraging companies to transform, develop new capabilities, and undertake higher value-added activities to enhance competitiveness and resilience.

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18 Sep 2023

Support for Lower- and Middle-income Workers Facing Stagnant Wages to Cope with Inflation

Gan Thiam Poh asked for sustainable long-term measures to help lower- and middle-income workers with stagnant wages cope with inflation.
Lawrence Wong emphasized boosting real wages through economic growth, job creation, and continuous education and training, supported by SkillsFuture, Company Training Committees, and Jobs-Skills Integrators.
The government has enhanced Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model, with most lower-wage workers covered and real income growth for lower-wage workers outpacing median income growth from 2017 to 2022.
Through the Forward Singapore exercise, further support for workers to gain skills for better jobs and higher wages is being considered.

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18 Sep 2023

Proposal for Firms that Hire Seniors or Persons with Special Needs to be Given Dependency Ratio Ceiling Bonus

Mark Lee proposed that firms hiring a certain percentage of seniors or persons with disabilities be granted a Dependency Ratio Ceiling bonus to support a balanced workforce.
The Minister for Manpower, Tan See Leng, rejected the idea, citing risks such as firms hiring these employees solely for quota benefits and the need to sustain foreign workforce limits in land-scarce Singapore.
The Ministry instead supports inclusive employment through existing schemes like the Enabling Mark, Senior Employment Credit, and Enabling Employment Credit, emphasizing that employers should value inclusivity inherently.

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18 Sep 2023

Key Considerations for Bringing Forward Increase in Retirement and Re-employment Ages before 2030

Keith Chua asked about the key considerations for bringing forward the increase in retirement and re-employment ages to 65 and 70 before 2030.
Tan See Leng noted the tripartite partners are committed to raising the ages to 65 and 70 by 2030, with the first increase to 63 and 68 effective from 1 July 2022.
The timing of future increases will be decided by the tripartite partners, considering economic and labor market conditions and allowing businesses sufficient lead time to adjust.

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