Amy Khor Lean Suan
Singapore
“Sir, NEA does conduct inspections of these premises from time to time. For this particular premises, they actually did six inspections since 2021.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts enforcement actions against drivers who are found to have provided illegal car-pooling services. An individual who provides an illegal car-pooling service may face a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.”
“We will also provide the first 500 private heavy vehicle chargers co-funding of up to 50% of the charger installation cost, capped at $30,000 per charger. These measures will narrow the lifecycle cost gap between an electric and internal combustion engine heavy vehicle and spur adoption of electric heavy vehicles.”
“With regard to the extension of the lower speed limit to school zones for full day, we will work with the relevant agencies on the enhanced enforcements.”
“They will provide a certain amount of protection to the pedestrians because, as I have said, the bollards will absorb the impact of the collision from the vehicles. So, there is a protection. But ultimately, of course, road safety really depends on a multitude of factors, including road user behaviour.”
“The bollards installed at pedestrian crossings by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are not of the K4, K8 or K12 standards stated by the Member. Bollards of these standards are typically security bollards. They are installed to protect critical infrastructure or at high security areas, such as Changi Airport, to be unyielding.”
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“It is, however, not a common practice for employers, especially SMEs, to indicate salary ranges in their job advertisements. Many employers tend to prefer holding back such information for competitive and internal confidentiality reasons. Over time, when employers become more comfortable and familiar with the Jobs Bank, we will revisit this issue in consultation with our tripartite partners. Mr Patrick Tay has suggested extending the advertising requirement to firms applying for S Pass holders. Other Members, too, raised this, for example, Assoc Prof Randolph Tan and Mr Gerald Giam. 4.45 pm To be clear, all employers are required to consider Singaporeans fairly for job opportunities, regardless of whether there are advertising exemptions. We have not made the advertising requirement mandatory for firms submitting applications for S Passes, because there are other tools, such as levies and Dependency Ratio Ceilings that spur firms to search for suitable Singaporeans before applying for an S Pass. Nonetheless, we will monitor the hiring of S Pass holders and assess if further measures are needed. Finally, I would like to highlight how in the last two to three years, MOM has, together with our tripartite partners, undertaken a broad review of our employment legislation and institutions to see how we can better meet the changing needs of our workforce. We updated the Employment Act in 2014 to deepen protection for PMEs earning up to $4,500. Earlier this year, this House passed the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill. Come April this year, there will be more options for unions and employers to work out arrangements to Page: 110 meet the needs of PMEs at the workplace.”
“Here, we take a constructive approach – we work with the employer to develop an action plan to implement these improvements and periodically review their progress. For example, some of the employers were found to lack proper training and development plans for their staff and had unclear recruitment and appraisal criteria and processes. We have asked the employers to address these gaps and to communicate grievance handling avenues to their employees. If we find outright discriminatory practice, we will take action immediately. We will continue to watch firms' hiring practices closely, especially those that appear to comply with our advertising requirements but do not consider Singaporeans fairly. We will Page: 109 not hesitate to take such employers to task. Mr Patrick Tay suggested making it mandatory for employers to publish the salaries of their job postings on the Jobs Bank. Currently, employers who wish to submit an EP application are required to declare the salary range of their job posting to WDA through the Jobs Bank. This allows us to check whether the salary of the subsequent EP application matches that of the job that was advertised, and in the event of a complaint by a job applicant who may have been told a different salary – we can check. It is, however, optional for employers to publish the salary range on the advertisement itself. We need to weigh the pros and cons of making it compulsory for employers to publish the salaries of their job postings. There are merits in doing so, such as greater transparency for local job applicants and improving the efficiency of the labour market. Publishing the salary range can also help employers attract more suitable candidates.”
“This scrutiny goes in-depth – where we look at their HR practices, such as their hiring policies and talent development approach. Through this scrutiny, we identify employers that have areas for improvement. And so far, this engagement has been useful. First, it allows us to understand more closely the challenges that both employers and employees face. Second, it allows the Government to provide more targeted assistance and advice to employers to address the gaps in their employment practices. Third, it projects our clear determination to detect and enforce against discriminatory employment practices. Let me elaborate further. First, on understanding the challenges. We have found some employers who find it difficult to hire locals as they require niche skills which very few locals have. One key sector that faces these issues acutely is the ICT sector, as many of its professionals need up-to-date and specialised programming skills, which few Singaporeans have. To address this, MOM has connected these employers with relevant agencies, such as IDA for the ICT sector, to help build their local pipeline. For example, IDA is assisting the ICT companies to provide internship and mentorship opportunities for students, encouraging them to send their local employees for on-the-job training to broaden and deepen their competencies in niche technology areas, and helping them gain access to a wider network for their recruitment purposes. Looking ahead, the broader SkillsFuture initiatives, such as the Earn and Learn programme, as well as the Sector Manpower Plans, will further strengthen our efforts on this front. There are other employers with areas for improvement.”
“This is what the FCF and Jobs Bank are about. This ecosystem, of which the FCF and Jobs Bank are part of, has benefited Singaporeans. Our annual average citizen unemployment rate in 2014 remains low at 2.9%. This situation is completely different from those in many developed countries which face higher unemployment. Singaporean workers have also had positive real wage growth over the last five years. We have seen a sustained increase in median income over the last five years. Real median income among full-time employed citizens grew by 2.1% per annum over the past five years. The rate of re-entry into employment within six months of redundancy for displaced workers has also improved in recent quarters. On Mr Zaqy Mohamad's question, the number of complaints on nationality-related discrimination has fallen by 25% from about 310 in 2013 to about 230 in 2014. We have pursued every single one of these cases to establish if they adopted discriminatory practices. When we find proof, MOM will not hesitate to take action. In December last year, we curbed the work pass privileges of Prime Gold International for engaging in discriminatory employment practices as they had retrenched Singaporeans only to fill the positions with foreigners. We need to continue to watch firms' hiring practices closely. This brings me to the other component of FCF, that is, additional scrutiny for firms which have room to improve their Page: 108 employment practices, which Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Pritam Singh have asked about. My Ministry proactively identifies employers for additional scrutiny using information, such as whether they have a disproportionately low concentration of Singaporeans at the PME level compared to others in their industry.”
“The Jobs Bank is not the only avenue for job search. Singaporeans may also find jobs through means other than the Jobs Bank, such as by being hired directly by the firm or through private job portals and other job ads. Even when Singaporeans apply for a job that they see on the Jobs Bank, we cannot directly track this. For example, job seekers may apply directly through firms' in-house HR portals. Therefore, data on the number of Singaporeans who were placed in a job vacancy which was advertised on the Jobs Bank would not be a representative or accurate indicator of how well Singaporeans are doing in the labour market in general. But let me assure Members that this Government is committed to doing everything we can to help every willing Singaporean to learn and to be competitive in the job market. Page: 107 Singaporeans are our only resource and the Government has invested heavily in developing their talents from childhood until beyond retirement. If you are willing to pick up a work-relevant skill, we will help you – through SkillsFuture, through career guidance, through course subsidies. If you need help finding a suitable job, we will help you – with interview skills, with job matching. So, the Jobs Bank and FCF cannot and should not be evaluated in isolation. Rather, they are part of a broader labour market ecosystem, which has produced healthy employment outcomes for Singaporeans. This ecosystem includes: (a) a dynamic economy that is able to compete globally and create new, exciting and meaningful career opportunities for Singaporeans; (b) an education and training system that ensures that Singaporeans are well-equipped to take up the quality jobs created by our economy; and (c) an overall labour market that is kept tight and which is efficient and transparent.”
“To date, they have successfully recruited four Singaporeans as auditors through the Jobs Bank. This is a positive start for the Jobs Bank. MOM and WDA will continue to enhance the Jobs Bank and work with industry partners to expand its use. As Assoc Prof Randolph Tan suggested, we fully intend to look into how data from the Jobs Bank can be used to supplement other available data to help job seekers. One key area is to develop a more detailed picture of skills in short supply, which we can develop among Singaporeans. We encourage more employers and job seekers to come onboard the Jobs Bank and we welcome feedback to make it a more useful platform so that more can benefit from it. Mr Patrick Tay, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Gerald Giam have asked about tracking the outcomes of Jobs Bank postings and evaluating the effectiveness of the Jobs Bank and the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF). The Jobs Bank, together with the Fair Consideration Framework, is intended to facilitate a fair hiring process and greater awareness of job vacancies. They set clear expectations for employers to consider Singaporeans fairly for job opportunities and enhance job market transparency. Singaporeans recognise the need to compete for jobs on the basis of merit. What the Government is doing is to help them get a fair opportunity. Singaporeans must still show that they are able to take on the jobs that they aspire to. There could be various reasons why an employer may not hire the Singaporean applicant even after considering applications fairly. For example, there could be jobs that require skills that the applicant does not possess. The employer is best placed to decide on the best candidate for the job. What we do expect is that the decision is made fairly, based on merit.”
“More large employers have also come on board the Jobs Bank, such as OCBC Bank, Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, as well as Government agencies. It is also encouraging to see that employers are using the Jobs Bank for a wide range of jobs, both PMET and non-PMET. Since the launch of the Jobs Bank, WDA has taken in feedback from the public and enhanced the portal to make it more user-friendly. For example, we enhanced the search functions for job openings through refining the categorisation of job vacancies and greater job search customisation. These enhancements have been received positively. We have also received feedback from job seekers and employers that the Jobs Bank has made it easier for them to find job opportunities and local job applicants. Mr Chandrasekaran Kandasamy, aged 47, is one example of a job seeker who found employment through the Jobs Bank. He was retrenched last year. While he had more than 16 years of experience in the manufacturing sector as a Procurement Engineer, he was unsure of the job opportunities in the market. Mr Chandrasekaran was the sole breadwinner in his family and he needed to find permanent employment as soon as possible. He approached the WDA Career Centre in July last year. With the advice of his Career Coach, he registered with the Jobs Bank to increase his opportunities for employment. Mr Chandrasekaran successfully found employment through the Jobs Bank with a manufacturing company, AB SCIEX Pte Ltd, in September last year and has been with the company since. Page: 106 Employers have also benefited. Accountancy and business advisory firm, Baker Tilly TFW, is one such example. Through the Jobs Bank, Baker Tilly TFW was able to widen their pool of local job candidates for recruitment purposes.”
“Let us allow some time for our societal norms and workplace culture to continue to evolve before we consider further changes to the law. 4.30 pm Mr Zainal also raised concerns about the impact that unpredictable and last-minute work arrangements have on employees. The Employment Act already requires employers to work out a roster indicating their rest days in a month, to be conveyed to the employees before the start of the month. While employers are allowed to vary the rest days because of exigencies, such variations have to be fair and the employee must consent. If there are complaints from workers, my Ministry will look into them. In addition, through the Tripartite Guidelines on Issuance of Key Employment Terms (KET) in writing, we encourage employers to provide employees with the expected working hours and number of working days before they start employment. This Page: 105 provides employees greater certainty of their work schedule so that they can plan for their personal needs outside of work. Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Zaqy Mohamad have asked for an update on the Jobs Bank and Fair Consideration Framework. Let me start with the Jobs Bank. We launched the Jobs Bank in July last year. It was intended to make job opportunities more transparent to Singaporean job seekers and allow employers to access a larger pool of Singaporean candidates. Participation in the Jobs Bank has been encouraging. As at 1 February this year, some 16,000 employers and 76,000 individuals have registered with the Jobs Bank. On average, since the launch of the Jobs Bank up to 1 February this year, there are about 68,000 live job vacancies on the Jobs Bank, with more than 70% of the jobs for PMETs, and about 20,000 offering a monthly salary of at least $5,000.”
“Page: 104 I applaud the companies mentioned in my speech for being forward-thinking and hope that they serve as an inspiration for others. We will continue to feature such examples at appropriate platforms to show what is possible. For individuals who encounter age discrimination at the workplace, I encourage them to approach TAFEP for advice and assistance. Through all the measures that I have outlined, we will continue to build on our progress and ensure that older Singaporeans can achieve their aspirations in their silver years. Next, let me address Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin's suggestions to legislate caregiver leave. We agree that supporting employees with their caregiving needs is important. This is why the 2013 Marriage and Parenthood Package provided new leave schemes such as extended childcare leave, paternity leave and shared parental leave. Companies are still adjusting to these newly-legislated leave and we should carefully study their impact before introducing more measures. And this is especially so, given that many companies are also undergoing economic restructuring, facing economic restructuring pressures and other pressures. We have also enhanced our efforts to change mindsets and encourage employers to offer flexible work arrangements and will continue to do so. We are glad to note that through our efforts, more and more companies recognise that flexi-work arrangements (FWA) is a key tool to attract and retain good employees. The proportion of employers that offered at least one form of formal FWA increased from 38% in 2011 to 47%, or almost half, in 2014. Almost seven in 10 employers, 69%, provided unplanned time-off for their employees to attend to personal matters last year.”
“, Network Courier and SportSG were featured for having strong mentorship programmes while older workers from On Cheong Jewellery, Goodrich Global and Raffles Hotel were featured for their wealth of experience. The campaign has resulted in some positive mindset changes amongst employers and older employees. A survey of 900 employers and employees conducted by TAFEP before and after the campaign found that there was an eight percentage point improvement in how employers viewed older employees and their role in nurturing younger employees. The survey also found that the campaign contributed to better self-perception among older employees, in terms of self-confidence, feeling valued and work motivation. In the course of my Ministry's work, we have come across many enlightened employers who firmly believe in the value that their older employees bring to their company. ComfortDelGro is one such example. Recognising the need to adapt to an ageing workforce and a tightening labour market, the company decided, on its own accord, to extend its retirement age to 65 years in 2012, and in 2013, they raised it further to 67. With more than half of its employees aged 40 and above, ComfortDelGro saw the need to retain mature employees who have years of valuable experience and are able to help mentor younger workers. Managing a mature workforce comes with its own challenges. For ComfortDelGro, one challenge is ensuring mature employees are equipped with skills that are relevant to the ever-changing demands of the service industry. ComfortDelGro therefore makes special efforts to engage their employees on the purpose of training and to ensure that training results in better service standards. Career progression for all employees is based on skillsets, competencies and performance.”
“It is particularly heartening to note that in the last three years, there has been an increase in the proportion of trainees aged 40 and above who took up WSQ courses. A good example of a company which believes in the value of training is Suki Sushi, a local Food and Beverage (F&B) company which employs about 700 employees. Close to a hundred employees are aged 40 and above. Training is an important business strategy for Suki Sushi as they believe that it contributes to enhanced employee service standards, higher productivity and improved employee morale. The company became a WSQ Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for F&B in 2012 and trains its workers monthly in areas such as maintaining an F&B environment and providing positive customer experiences. Close to 250 employees, including 80% of their mature workers, have benefited from training since it was appointed as an ATO. Suki Sushi's strong belief in the value of training is also evident in their Page: 103 career progression policies, where employees' progression is tied to WSQ training. Lastly, we continue in our efforts to reinforce positive perceptions of older workers. We agree with Mr Heng Chee How and Mr David Ong that it is important to tackle ageism in the workplace. And to this end, TAFEP proactively engages employers and helps them develop capabilities for employing and re-employing older workers. This includes advisory services and training workshops for TAFEP pledge signers on the management of mature employees. In June 2014, the Tricom launched the "Tap into a Wealth of Experience" campaign to highlight the wealth of experience that older workers bring to their employers. Companies such as Fish & Co.”
“Mr Heng, Mr Seng and Ms Rita Soh asked about how the Government helps older workers to continuously upgrade their skills and improve their employability. Everyone has a role to play in continuing education and training. On their part, older workers can tap on existing WDA training grants to enhance their capabilities. Under SkillsFuture, all Singaporeans aged 40 and above will now enjoy enhanced subsidies of at least 90% of training costs for courses funded by MOE and WDA. On top of this, Singaporeans can use the SkillsFuture Credit to offset the remaining fees. In addition, lower wage older Singaporeans can receive up to 95% subsidy for course fees under the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme. Many Singaporeans have benefited from WDA's training grants. One of them is Mdm Yuen Sow Phoon, who turns 60 this year. After a long absence from the workforce, Mdm Yuen wanted to work as a childcare teacher but lacked the relevant skills and qualifications. She approached one of WDA's Career Centres in April 2012 and her career coach advised her to take on the WSQ Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education. At the age of 59, Mdm Yuen completed her diploma and secured a job as a Chinese Language teacher in the childcare sector. Today, Mdm Yuen is still very passionate about teaching and is ever eager to encourage others to upgrade their skills, no matter their age. We are encouraged to see that many individuals and employers already invest in training. Based on WDA's 2014 survey on the outcomes of WSQ training, 95% of the surveyed employers found that their employees performed more efficiently after completing WSQ training and 76% reported that training had a positive impact on work productivity.”
“As at December 2014, only 46 companies have come on board and only about $2 million have been committed. Mr Heng Chee How and Mr Seng Han Thong observed that employers still face obstacles when redesigning jobs. It is a real challenge, especially for many SMEs, who may feel that they lack the expertise to tap on the JRG, and I agree with Mr David Ong that we must do more to help such smaller employers. Age management is a relatively new field in Singapore. The knowledge pool, even among consultants, is not deep. To address this capability gap, we are developing a training framework for age management. Together with our tripartite partners, we will engage Institutes of Higher Learning, industry experts and training providers to create a curriculum specific to managing older workers in Singapore. This can be in areas such as flexible work arrangements, performance management, designing safe workplaces for mature workers and managing a multi-generational workforce. This framework aims to increase awareness and application of age-management practices by HR practitioners, line managers and senior management. We are also working with industry experts to accredit consultants in the age-management domain. This will ensure that consultants can effectively address companies' age-management issues. While the Government can make these opportunities available, ultimately, companies must still want to take the first step. We, therefore, encourage more companies to tap on the JRG to implement job redesign solutions as they prepare for an older workforce as it is in their interest to do so. Page: 102 The second thrust is raising the skills of older workers so that they can tap on better employment opportunities.”
“Under WorkPro, employers can tap on the Age Management Grant (AMG) and the Job Redesign Grant (JRG) to put in place progressive age-management practices and to embark on job redesign projects respectively. Mr Heng Chee How asked for an assessment of how effective existing schemes have been. The take-up for the AMG has been very positive; with about 1,400 companies on board since its launch in April 2013. Twenty-eight million dollars of the budget has been committed. One example of a company that has benefited from the AMG is Skillsforce Management Consultancy. It offers outsourced HR functions and consultancy services. The company puts in effort to recruit and retain mature workers as they believe in the value of the experience. Page: 101 Half of their employees are mature workers. To ensure that their needs are taken care of, the company implemented several age-management practices. Ms Violet Sim, aged 65, worked as a HR manager in several multinational corporations before she retired in 2005. After retirement, she took on ad hoc assignments and had thought that it would be difficult for her to secure a full-time job given her age. Skillsforce recognised her skills and employed her with a competitive remuneration package, including benefits such as healthcare insurance. When Violet first joined Skillsforce, she was assigned a mentor, who helped her adapt to the company's culture and her role quickly. Today, she is happily employed at Skillsforce as a HR Business Partner, performing HR functions for client companies. Employers can also tap on the Job Redesign Grant (JRG) to go further in implementing innovative job and process redesign, specific to their employees' and business needs. However, the take-up for the Job Redesign Grant has not been as positive.”
“After extensive discussions and consultations, the Government accepted the Page: 100 Tricom's recommendation to first take a promotional approach. We also said that, in the interim, we would consider incentives to encourage employers to voluntarily re-employ older workers aged 65 and above. 4.15 pm Two weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman announced in the Budget Statement that employers will receive an additional Special Employment Credit (SEC) offset of up to 3% of monthly wages this year, if they hire Singaporeans aged 65 and above who earn up to $4,000 a month. This is on top of the current 8.5% SEC for hiring Singaporean workers above 50. Hence, if they employ an older Singaporean aged 65 and above, earning up to $4,000 in 2015, employers will receive a total SEC of up to 11.5% of monthly wages. This amounts to almost one and a half months of wages for each eligible worker re-employed. We hope that this will encourage more employers to retain their older workers even after they reach age 65 and continue to benefit from their experience and expertise. We will monitor the outcome and look at extending the re-employment age to 67 in two to three years' time. In addition to the SEC incentive, the Tricom has also been working hard to enhance the employment of mature workers aged 40 and above along three broad thrusts. First, we are supporting employers in improving workplace practices so as to attract and retain mature workers. This was something Ms Jessica Tan touched on. We introduced the WorkPro programme in 2013, to provide funding support for companies to implement age-friendly practices and flexible work arrangements. This was an enhancement of the previous WoW! Fund, ADVANTAGE! scheme and Flexi-Works! scheme which were introduced between 2004 and 2007.”
“We do not believe that the practice of using EAP as an easy way out is prevalent. Workers who feel that their employers have not abided by the law can seek assistance from MOM. But we note the concerns and we will monitor the situation. Mr Patrick Tay also suggested that the EAP be reviewed to reflect the increase in wages. I can assure Mr Tay that the tripartite partners will look into this and other issues in the lead-up to raising the re-employment age. Mr Heng also asked if re-employed or re-employment-eligible employees should be treated the same as other employees during retrenchments. In the unfortunate event that retrenchments are necessary, we expect employers to do so responsibly. They should apply relevant and objective criteria consistently when determining who are affected. They should also do so in consultation with the union – if the company is unionised – and notify MOM as early as possible. This is so that we can help affected workers find alternative employment and/or to provide them with relevant training to enhance their employability and deployability. Looking ahead, Ms Jessica Tan asked about plans to raise the re-employment age to 67 and whether companies have already been re-employing workers beyond 65. Overall, the employment rate of citizens aged 65 to 69 has gone up from 38% in 2013 to 40% last year, and is, in fact, close to those of advanced economies like Japan. This is encouraging as it shows that employers find value in their older employees. One key issue that the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers, or Tricom, which I chair, deliberated on last year was when to raise the re-employment age from 65 to 67.”
“Our experience has shown that adopting re-employment as an approach to raising the employment rate of older workers beyond the age of 62, works for Singapore. This puts us in good stead to eventually move the re-employment age to 67. Mr Seng also asked about re-employment in the public sector. In the year ending 2013, more than nine in 10 public officers who retired at age 62 and wished to continue working were re-employed. Mr Heng Chee How asked for the number of re-employment disputes and their outcomes. Since 2012, MOM has received 103 individual cases of re-employment disputes. The majority of these were related to eligibility for re-employment, for example, disputes over the employee's performance, or dissatisfaction over the terms of the re-employment contract. Most cases were settled after conciliation. Page: 99 Mr Heng Chee How and Mr Patrick Tay spoke about employers using the Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) as an easy way out of their re-employment obligations. Allow me to recall the rationale for our re-employment law, which was introduced in 2012 to achieve two objectives. First, to provide opportunities for older workers who are willing and able to continue working, to do so beyond the statutory minimum retirement age of 62. Second, to provide flexibility for employers and employees to make necessary changes to work arrangements for re-employment. Employers should consider all available re-employment options, identify suitable jobs for employees who are medically fit and whose performance is assessed to be satisfactory. Only if the above efforts fail, then, as a last resort, employers can offer affected employees a one-off EAP to help tide the older worker over while he or she looks for employment or undergoes training.”
“This is one of the highest rates even among developed countries. Even though the employment rate for this group of Singaporeans is high, we should continue to invest in our efforts to ensure older Singaporeans can continue working. Page: 98 Ms Jessica Tan asked about the wage trends of mature workers and women. The real median gross monthly income of women increased by about 2% per annum over the last five years. This is similar to the increase for Singaporeans in general. The real median gross monthly income of mature workers aged 55 and above saw a higher increase of 2.5% per annum during the same period. Ms Jessica Tan also asked if there is still a need for retirement age. The current minimum statutory retirement age of 62 protects workers from below 62 from being dismissed on the grounds of age but it does not impede people from working beyond 62. We had studied approaches taken by other developed countries and concluded that re-employment is a better and more practical approach for us. Mr Seng Han Thong asked for an update on the progress of companies re-employing older workers. We continue to see positive trends. Based on preliminary findings, nearly all, 99%, private-sector local employees who turned 62 in the year ending June 2014 were offered re-employment – same as the year before. Ninety-one percent of the local employees who accepted re-employment on a new contract in the same job in 2014 did not have their basic wages cut. This is an increase from 83% in 2013. This includes almost one in 10 who actually got higher wages upon re-employment. If we count employees who continued on existing contracts, 98% of those re-employed in the same job, be it on a new or existing contract, did not experience a basic wage cut, and this is an increase from 96% in 2013.”
“Madam, Minister Tan Chuan-Jin spoke about our continued efforts to help Singaporeans achieve better jobs and higher incomes, and to provide Singaporeans with greater assurance for their retirement. I would like to elaborate on my Ministry's efforts to encourage employment of older workers. I will also give an update on our efforts to facilitate fair and progressive workplace and employment practices. I had the opportunity to take part in a focus group discussion about "Lifelong Employability" a few months ago. This was part of a series of feedback sessions for the action plan on Successful Ageing. The participants, who were mostly mature and older Singaporean workers, shared that they wanted to continue working in their silver years. Aside from wanting to remain financially independent, the majority believed that work would help them to remain physically and mentally active and maintain their social networks. For businesses, the tight labour market makes it even more important to attract and retain older workers. Employers who were involved in the focus group discussion felt that older workers brought experience and were generally more reliable. However, they also faced challenges adapting to the new work arrangements. I thank the focus group participants for sharing their views. Their feedback validates our efforts to help ensure more employment opportunities for older Singaporeans and to encourage them to remain employable. On that note, let me share some positive outcomes from our efforts. As Assoc Prof Randolph Tan pointed out at the Budget debate, we continue to see high employment rates for older Singaporeans. The employment rate of older Singaporeans aged 55 to 64 rose to a new high of 66% in 2014, up from 65% in 2013.”
“As we have announced earlier, we are taking a promotional approach now to encourage employers to employ their workers even beyond the re-employment age of 65 before we look into reviewing and extending the re-employment age beyond 65 to 67, as legislation. As long as the workers are re-employed by the company, Page: 26 regardless of their age, companies would then be required, for instance, if they are manual workers, or if they are non-manual workers but with a salary of $1,600 and below, to provide workmen injury insurance, because this is required under the law. As regards inpatient medical benefits, as I have noted, most of those who have been re-employed under the current legislation have retained their inpatient medical benefits and we will continue to encourage companies to do so. And as I have noted, we are also working through a tripartite working group to encourage companies to implement portable medical benefits for their employees and these should also extend generally to workers, regardless of their age, if they are re-employed.”
“Our employment laws, in general, stipulate basic labour standards and we allow employers room to provide additional benefits relevant to their circumstances. In this case, the Employment Act stipulates that employers have to pay for their employees' medical consultation fees while they are in employment. We are, however, happy to note that many employers have gone beyond these basic requirements to also provide health insurance for their employees, so as to attract and retain valued workers. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) found that about six in 10 companies with at least 25 employees provide inpatient medical benefits for their local employees in 2013. Of these companies, 86% provide such medical benefits through group medical insurance. As for re-employed workers, a separate survey found that around nine in 10 companies continued to maintain their inpatient medical benefits when re-employing them at the age of 62. At the same time, the tripartite partners have been encouraging employers to enhance the portability of their medical benefits. On its part, the Government provides incentives for employers who do so by way of higher tax deductions for medical expenses of up to 2% of total employees' remuneration. Employers can also enjoy the additional tax deduction when they make ad hoc Medisave contributions for their employees. A tripartite workgroup is looking at ways to enhance portable medical benefits to complement MediShield Life, which, when implemented at the end of 2015, will provide lifelong healthcare insurance protection for all Singaporeans. This includes older citizens, regardless of whether they continue to be employed.”
“I thank the Member for his suggestion. Just to reiterate that we try all ways and means to reach out to the companies. For SPRING's SME Centres, for instance, I personally know that the staff go down to every company, small or big, to sell to them these programmes and to encourage them to take them up. WorkPro, as the Member has noted, is one amongst several schemes we have to encourage companies to put in place progressive workplace practices, as well as to employ older workers, mature workers, back-to-work workers. All these schemes work in combination to achieve the objectives that we are trying to achieve. For SEC, it is a direct incentive for employers who employ older workers. We will take the Member's suggestion to reach out to these companies, although I am pretty sure that this might have been done at some level. But we will take up his suggestion.”
“We will proactively reach out and encourage companies to come on-board and utilise the schemes to implement age- and family-friendly workplace practices. Whilst we are mindful and do want to ensure that this scheme is accessible to all companies, I think we also need to be mindful that we need to balance this outcome with good governance for the funds, because we are, ultimately, accountable. The companies must also show commitment, value the schemes, as well as take ownership of the schemes. Assoc Prof Randolph Tan (Nominated Member): Madam, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive answer. As a matter of priority, I do not know whether the Senior Minister of State agrees that schemes like WorkPro are much more important than other incentive schemes like Special Employment Credit (SEC). There is some overlap between them, as the Ministry has also clarified before. Because process redesign, job redesign, are much more urgent, is it possible to look at companies which are already eligible for Special Employment Credits and approach them because of the overlap in eligibility criteria and let them know that they are also eligible for WorkPro incentives and encourage them to embark on job redesign?”
“Therefore, we are encouraging them to send their employees for some of the courses conducted by WDA which will equip them with the knowledge to implement job and process redesign, as well as working to build up local capabilities to help these companies to implement job and process redesign. We will provide the details once these are ready. The other area we have identified, which is the WorkLife component, there has been feedback as to why some companies do not take it up. For instance, one feedback is that companies say they may not need to actually incur any expenses in implementing flexiwork, for instance, staggered hours. Therefore, if you go on a reimbursement model, it is not an incentive because they do not actually incur cost. We have revised WorkLife in July last year and streamlined the scheme requirements in order to allow more companies to be eligible for the scheme. One of the things we have done, for instance, is that under the Development Grant portion, we have allowed companies, once they have implemented flexiwork and then put it into a policy, they will be able to get the first $20,000, whilst the second $20,000 under the Development Grant will be on a reimbursement basis. We have also streamlined the documentation requirements. For instance, instead of requiring the companies to submit, say, three to six months' worth of a list of the names of employees who have regularly used flexiwork arrangements, we now require them to only submit the most recent one month's list of employees who have actually taken up flexiwork arrangements. This has helped. Since we implemented this, the number of employers who Page: 20 have come on-board this scheme has significantly increased in the last two quarters of last year. I think that more will come on board.”
“As I have said, what we have done is to have a budget for a three-year programme, WorkPro, April 2013 to March 2016, $160 million. Even before WorkPro was implemented, actually, since 2004, we have been encouraging employers to implement progressive workplace practices. Under the previous schemes, ADVANTAGE! Scheme, WoW! Fund, as well as Flexi-Works!, we have reached out to more than 3,700 companies which have benefited from these schemes, and the majority of them are SMEs. For this particular programme, WorkPro, which replaces the three programmes and enhances the programmes, over one-and-three-quarter years, we have reached out to and benefited 1,500 companies and committed a budget of $43.2 million, which is about 27% of Page: 19 the total budget. We do not have a target for the number of companies that will come on-board. What we do is to work with our programme partners to reach out widely to as many companies as possible, and that is why we have about three to four outreach and briefing sessions every month, working with SPRING's SME Centres, as well as through mass media platforms. The idea is to reach out to as many companies as possible to get them on-board. In order to improve take-up of the schemes, we have also been closely monitoring the effectiveness and accessibility of the programmes together with our partners and reviewing or enhancing them where appropriate. The take-up for Age Management Grant – because there are three components – is actually very encouraging. As I have noted, $28 million have already been committed. For Job Redesign, one of the reasons we have identified for the low take-up is because many companies, particularly the SMEs, do not have the expertise to implement job and work process redesign.”
“Thirdly, NTUC and SNEF, together with the Government, have also profiled success stories at platforms, such as the Age Management Seminar, and through mainstream media. This helps to raise the awareness of WorkPro and showcase employers who had gone the extra mile to put in place age-management practices. To further increase awareness among SMEs, WDA taps on its partnership with SPRING's SME centres to promote enterprise-related schemes, including WorkPro. As a result of the concerted outreach efforts, the SME take-up of WorkPro amongst companies has been positive, with SMEs forming 88% of WorkPro employers. We will continue to work closely with our partners to raise awareness and sustain interest in WorkPro amongst companies, including SMEs.”
“The WorkPro programme was launched in April 2013. As of December 2014, over 1,500 companies have tapped on WorkPro. On average, each WorkPro company will receive around $29,000 to put in place progressive workplace practices. This will benefit a total of 58,000 workers. A total of $43.2 million or 27% of the overall budget has been committed so far. As many companies are still in the midst of implementing their projects, the total sum disbursed is $7 million as of December 2014. Companies can continue to tap on the budget until March 2016. There are three main grant components under WorkPro. First, the Age Management Grant encourages employers to acquire knowledge and implement age-management practices to better manage a multi-generational workforce. Its take-up has been encouraging – a $28 million budget has been committed. Second, the Job Redesign Grant provides support to employers who wish to go further to implement job and process redesign specific to their employees' and business needs. As of December last year, about $2 million has been committed. Third, the Work-Life Grant encourages employers to implement flexible work arrangements (FWAs) at the workplace. To date, $13.2 million has been committed. Page: 18 Our tripartite partners, NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), are actively reaching out to employers, including SMEs, to highlight the importance of preparing for an ageing workforce. Firstly, they do so through regular outreach and briefings to employers on WorkPro, which take place three to four times every month. Secondly, they also target suitable recruitment events and job fairs to promote WorkPro to employers and individuals.”
“For those who intentionally evade their premiums even though they have the means – some people say in Hokkien chao kwan, or socially irresponsible – the Minister for Health has explained the need for measures such as penalties on late premiums and recovery of arrears from employers and bank accounts. This is only fair to all those Singaporeans who have paid their premiums responsibly and on time. Some Members have also asked if one will lose coverage due to non-payment. Let me repeat our promise that no Singaporean will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to the inability to pay nor will they be unfairly penalised for not paying their premiums if they truly cannot afford it. To conclude, I would like to say that the MediShield Life Scheme Bill provides a sound legal and governance framework for the efficient administration of the MediShield Life Scheme. MOH will continue to reach out over the next few months to communicate the key aspects of this inclusive Scheme to all Singaporeans. With MediShield Life, Singaporeans can Page: 117 have better peace of mind for life. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill. 5.35 pm”
“Ms Denise Phua, Mr Gerald Giam and Ms Tin Pei Ling had also raised concerns that harsh recovery actions will be Page: 116 taken on those who are needy. Some members of the public have been very worried after reading newspaper reports that some may be penalised or sued for not paying their premiums. There was even a headline that suggested you will end up in jail for not paying your premiums. I would like to assure Members that there is no jail for not paying your premiums. The jail term only applies if you are served with a travel restriction order, and you defy it and try to flee the country. In addition, we will make every effort to reach out to those who need help. Let me explain how we will do this. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the touchpoints for Singaporeans who may need Additional Premium Support. We recognise that the group of needy Singaporeans have very diverse needs and profiles, and our messages might not reach them through the traditional mass media channels. For this group, we know from the experience of implementing the PG Package that face-to-face interaction and the human touch, especially communicating in the vernacular, is important. Hence, there will be comprehensive efforts to reach out to such Singaporeans. For those who have missed premium payments, there will be multiple reminder letters, checks on whether another family member is able to assist them in paying the premiums as well as alerts on the availability of Additional Premium Support if they need it. There will also be direct outreach efforts by the Government. This process will help us determine those who are truly needy from those who can afford it but choose not to pay their premiums. Mr Hri Kumar had asked about the actions to be taken against defaulters.”
“After the facilitated eligibility checks are completed around the middle of the year, MOH will determine the amount of subsidy that each Singaporean should receive before the launch of MediShield Life. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] I would also like to address the concerns raised on privacy of income data. In order to determine eligibility for MediShield Life Premium Subsidies, income information is needed to calculate each household's per capita income, similar to what we do for other healthcare subsidy schemes like CHAS. We will only be accessing information already existing in the Government's database and not your bank accounts. To safeguard and protect income information, the MediShield Life Scheme Bill only allows persons authorised by the Minister to access such information. There are penalties in place against those who access the information without appropriate authorisation or consent. For those who do not wish to have their income information accessed, they can choose not to allow MOH access to the information for the facilitated eligibility checks. But this will mean that we cannot determine their Premium Subsidies eligibility and they and their household members will not be able to benefit from the MediShield Life Premium Subsidies. Subsequently, if they change their mind and wish to enjoy the Premium Subsidies, they can apply manually anytime for the Premium Subsidies, but would have to submit their financial information in any case. Finally, I will like to focus on a group of needy Singaporeans, those who cannot afford their remaining premiums even after the various subsidies are applied.”
“If you have other people living in your household such as tenants in your HDB flats, please update your tenant records with HDB. MOH will need your address information to be up to date as we will use these records to estimate who your household members are. Number two, check the letter that MOH will be sending to all households in a few months' time. So, please do not throw away any letter from MOH. The letter will provide more information on how to confirm your "estimated" household composition or make changes if necessary. For most Singaporeans, if their latest address is reflected in Government records including NRIC records, it will be easy to confirm their household composition with a few quick clicks online. For those who are unable to access the Internet, they can also check the information through phone hotlines. Finally, those who need help with the process in person, they can also head to selected community touchpoints, for example Citizen Connect Centres. Page: 115 To ensure that Singaporeans are aware of what they need to do to get the right Premium Subsidies, MOH will be publishing advertisements – in the print media, television and radio, and in the heartlands – to raise awareness and inform Singaporeans of the simple steps that they need to take. This mass media publicity will be timed to coincide with the letters households will receive. So, please do not rush to the nearest Citizen Connect Centre now. We also recognise that the human touch is needed to reach out to more Singaporeans. We intend to organise briefing sessions with the People's Association, Grassroots Organisations and conduct roadshows to help spread the message. More details will be made available later.”
“We have decided on such an approach of facilitated eligibility checks to ensure that the Page: 114 MediShield Life Premium Subsidies can reach as many eligible Singaporeans as possible. We are aware that there are Singaporeans who may not know how to apply for the subsidies. So, by doing this facilitated eligibility checks, we ensure that low-income and vulnerable Singaporeans do not miss out on MediShield Life subsidies. We will kickstart the exercise in a few months' time, so that the Premium Subsidies can be computed in time for the roll-out of MediShield Life at the end of the year. These facilitated eligibility checks will be done back-end using the latest information available to the Government, which include NRIC addresses for us to determine who lives in the same residences, their income and property ownership information. The first key step is to work out "estimated households" by grouping those with the same NRIC address as part of the same household and excluding any tenants that have been declared to HDB. We will then use these "estimated households" and their corresponding income information to calculate the household's eligibility for MediShield Life Premium Subsidies. However, for some Singaporeans, these "estimated households" may not reflect their actual household composition. This is because existing Government data is only accurate if they have been updated by Singaporeans. For example, we only know the latest address on your NRIC and would not know if you have moved if you do not tell us! To help us know your latest household structure, we will need Singaporeans to do two simple things. So, I shall simply call it "Two-steps to get it right". Number one, update your address in your NRIC. We urge all citizens and PRs to update your NRIC address.”
“In their report, the MediShield Life Review Committee (MLRC) also recommended that the process of applying for subsidies should be simple and convenient so that eligible Singaporeans and PRs can access these subsidies easily. We have, however, heard feedback from some Members that their constituents have asked how to start applying for these subsidies. Some were worried that they might miss out on subsidies if they missed the deadline or did not know where to get the application form. When the MLRC conducted its focus groups last year, we also heard concerns about the process of applying for healthcare subsidy schemes – some elderly Singaporeans commented that it is paiseh, or feel embarrassed, to get their children's signatures for the application because they were busy working! Mr Gerald Giam had asked if the MediShield Life subsidies will be provided in a convenient and hassle-free manner. I would like to assure Members that MOH intends to extend MediShield Life subsidies to all eligible Singaporeans as conveniently as possible. How will we do this? Firstly, all Pioneers will receive special Pioneer Generation Subsidies. There is no need to apply. They will get it automatically. Secondly, for Transitional Subsidies which the Government will give all Singaporeans who experience an increase in net premiums, again, there is no need to apply. Everyone who is eligible gets it automatically. So, to use a Hokkien phrase, it is bao jiak, or sure to eat, or to be more exact, bao gia, or sure take, in these two instances. Thirdly, for the Premium Subsidies for lower- to middle-income households, Singaporeans will also not need to apply. Instead, MOH will tap on existing records in Government databases to determine how much subsidies each Singaporean should receive.”
“As Minister of State Dr Lam had noted earlier, some even have the mistaken view that they will have to pay for two policies – their Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and MediShield Life. This is clearly not the case and I think it is a point that bears repeating. So, let me try to explain it again in this way: MediShield, as it is today, forms the Foundation of all IPs and the IPs, the enhanced portion, ride on this foundation to provide additional coverage targeting the Class B1 or A wards or private hospitals. When MediShield Life is launched, it will become the new foundation. So, MediShield Life, plus the top-up portion, forms one Integrated Plan and a single premium is paid. To use everyday language, MediShield Life is like plain Milo, which is tasty enough for most people. IPs are like Milo Page: 113 Dinosaur or Milo Godzilla, which tastes even richer than Milo but will definitely cost more. Mdm Speaker, perhaps, I should not be giving high-cholesterol illustrations in talking about healthcare issues but I believe Members get the picture. Let me also clarify that IP policyholders will also be eligible for MediShield Life subsidies if they meet the criteria. Over the next few months, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue with our outreach and engagement efforts to explain and clarify the benefits of MediShield Life. In particular, we will focus our communications and outreach on the steps Singaporeans need to take to make sure the Government is able to give them the right amount of Premium Subsidies that they are eligible for under MediShield Life. Let me elaborate on these. As Minister Gan said, Premium Subsidies are a permanent, key feature of the MediShield Life Scheme.”
“Besides print, radio, TV and social media platforms, we also shared on MediShield Life at the People's Association's (PA) and Agency for Integrated Care's (AIC) grassroots events and dialogue sessions. Thus far, we organised or participated in more than 35 dialogues and community events reaching out to more than 7,000 residents just through the grassroots events. Some of the common concerns raised during these sessions were the affordability of MediShield Life premiums and rising healthcare costs over time, misunderstandings about duplication between MediShield Life and private insurance, the mandatory nature of MediShield Life and duplication of coverage between MediShield Life and pensions benefits or other employer-provided healthcare insurance. We sought to address some of these concerns and clarify misperceptions through explanations at dialogues by putting up FAQs on our MediShield Life website and through the mass media. And I agree with the Member Mr Alex Yam that our communications and outreach efforts will have to be comprehensive and sustained over time. Alongside the Ministry's outreach efforts, many advisors and grassroots leaders have been actively engaging their residents. I would like to take the opportunity to thank them for their efforts. We have received good feedback from Members that these efforts have helped their constituents better understand how MediShield Life and health insurance work and how MediShield Life can better protect them when they suffer from serious illness. While Singaporeans understand that MediShield Life offers better benefits than the current MediShield, some have asked whether they will benefit from MediShield Life if they have already bought a private Integrated Shield Plan.”
“Mdm Speaker, MediShield Life marks a major milestone towards providing all Singaporeans – the young, the very old and those who are already ill – with protection against large medical bills for life. Universal coverage of this scope is a goal always lauded but challenging to attain, even in advanced economies. That Singapore is taking this huge step shows the Government's commitment to give Singaporeans greater peace of mind for their healthcare needs. Premiums will have to increase with the enhanced coverage. But Singaporeans can also be assured of the Government's commitment to help them with premiums through various subsidies. I would now like to speak on how the Bill provides for convenient and easy access to MediShield Life Premium Subsidies. I will also elaborate on the Ministry's key communications and outreach efforts during this period leading up to the roll-out of MediShield Life towards the end of the year. Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Zaqy Mohamad and Ms Jessica Tan mentioned the importance of communicating MediShield Life to all Singaporeans. Since this House unanimously supported the MediShield Life Review Committee's recommendations in July last year, the Ministry has stepped up its efforts to share with Singaporeans the benefits of MediShield Life. Through these outreach efforts, we learnt that getting Singaporeans to understand Page: 112 MediShield Life is not simple, because most of us do not think about hospital bills or health insurance until the day we fall ill. We also learnt that using only the mass media to spread the word is not enough. The communications challenge is quite daunting. We have had to reach out through a mix of platforms, channels and languages, each with different tailored messages.”
“In addition, we need to take into account healthcare inflation; we need to take into account new Medisave users and longer life expectancy which means that it is unlikely that healthcare expenses will go down — much as we will try to contain cost and healthcare inflation, working together with every individual Singaporean. So, it is unlikely, even as we review the Medisave Minimum Sum Scheme that we will adjust the Medisave Minimum Sum downwards.”
“Subsequently, if he continues to work and he continues to contribute to CPF, then of course, he will have fresh Special Account (SA) and Ordinary Account (OA) amounts, as well as contribute to his Medisave. If he then wants to apply again to withdraw this excess cash savings, he would then have to again top up his Medisave Minimum Sum to the prevailing Medisave Minimum Sum, before he can withdraw. Regarding the third question, which relates to, if you have a comprehensive insurance plan, then can you have partial or full waiver of Medisave Minimum Sum. As I have said, the Medisave amounts can be used for various approved healthcare expenses, not just inpatient bills, but also some outpatient approved chronic disease treatment, as well as new users – Flexi-Medisave, the upcoming one, as well as for outpatient scans from start of this year. And in addition, it can be used to pay healthcare insurance premium – MediShield and ElderShield. When you have an insurance plan, likelihood if it is an Integrated Shield Plan, you will pay part of it — at least part of it — using your Medisave. Basically, Medisave Minimum Sum is still required to ensure that the members have enough to pay for their healthcare expenses, including for healthcare insurance premium in their old age. There is no decision to waive this Medisave Minimum Sum. Page: 31 The last question is: because of MediShield Life, the implementation of MediShield Life, does it mean that you can do away with Medisave Minimum Sum? I have more or less given the answer in relation to question three. Even as we implement MediShield Life with better coverage protection for all, for life, so better benefits, there will be some increase in the premiums. And as I have said, your Medisave can be used to pay for these premiums.”
“With regard to the first question on why the Medisave Minimum Sum is not cohort-based, the design of the CPF Minimum Sum and the Medisave Minimum Sum is different. The Minimum Sum is drawn down as a constant stream of fixed payouts from age 65 and it is fixed at age 55. You can compute the Minimum Sum in advance, fix it at age 55. And then, thereafter when it is drawn down fixed payments, you do not account for inflation Page: 30 thereafter. But for the Medisave Minimum Sum, it is different because healthcare expenses are uncertain, as well as the fact that you can utilise your Medisave anytime for approved healthcare expenses. We have had to revise and review our Medisave Minimum Sum, adjust it for healthcare inflation on a yearly basis and also to regularly review it to take into account longer life expectancies, as well as new Medisave users, such as the upcoming Flexi-Medisave. As I have said, we know the need for more certainty, more flexibility for Singaporeans in retirement, give them greater peace of mind. In line with the broader changes to the CPF system that we are making, we will also be reviewing the Medisave Minimum Sum and we will provide Members with more details when it is completed. Regarding the second question about whether you need to top up your Medisave Minimum Sum when you utilise it, there is no need to top up the Medisave Minimum Sum in order to use Medisave for approved healthcare expenses. This is applicable for all ages. But if the member wishes to withdraw his CPF savings in excess of the Minimum Sum at age 55 or after age 55, he will first have to top up his Medisave to the Medisave Minimum Sum. Then, he can withdraw the excess CPF savings.”
“The Medisave Minimum Sum (MMS) is the amount a CPF member needs to set aside in his Medisave account to ensure adequate savings for his own and his dependants' Page: 29 healthcare expenses, including MediShield and ElderShield premiums, during old age. The MMS needs to be adjusted yearly for healthcare inflation. With Singaporeans living longer and Medisave use regularly expanded, we must also review the MMS regularly to more accurately reflect how much elderly Singaporeans need for their healthcare expenses in retirement. To help Singaporeans save more, the Government has also helped to top up Medisave accounts through GST Vouchers and Workfare, and increased employers' Medisave contributions by one percentage point from the start of this year. Last year, the Government appointed a CPF Advisory Panel to study ways to improve the CPF system to provide greater peace of mind and flexibility for Singaporeans in retirement. My Ministry will review the MMS, taking into consideration the healthcare needs of our current and future elderly and the broader changes to the CPF system. We will provide more details when our review is completed.”
“Work-life practices lead to win-win outcomes – employees can better attend to their personal and family needs, while a more motivated workforce can benefit employers in terms of lower absenteeism, higher employee retention and better productivity.”
“We recognise that, with our rapidly ageing population and decreasing family size, it is important to support working Singaporeans who need help in caring for their family members. At the same time, we are mindful that mandating more family care leave can have an impact on business operations. Our approach is to work with our tripartite partners to promote work-life practices, including providing family care leave beyond the statutory requirements and flexible work arrangements. A survey by the Ministry of Manpower found that the proportion of employers providing parental care leave or parental sick leave has almost tripled from 6% in 2008 to 17% last year. The proportion of employers providing at least one form of flexible work arrangement (FWA) has also gone up from 28% in 2008 to 47% last year. The survey also found that almost seven in 10 employers, or 69%, provided unplanned time-off for their employees to attend to personal matters in 2014. Employers are setting new industry norms and they recognise that such practices help to attract and retain talent. For instance, the Civil Service, as the largest employer in Singapore, provides two days of annual parent-care leave as a progressive employment practice. We also introduced a series of family-related leave schemes on 1 May 2013, as part of the Marriage and Parenthood Package. Businesses are still adjusting and adapting to some of these leave requirements. So, let us monitor the impact of these changes before we consider legislating more family care leave. Nonetheless, I would like to encourage more employers to adopt work-life practices, such as family care leave and FWAs, as a strategy to attract good workers in this tight labour Page: 40 market and motivate them.”
“What I would like to reiterate is that the drug and treatment prescribed are what the doctor and the healthcare team deem as clinically appropriate, based on the patient's conditions and not based on the subsidy status of the patient. Page: 12”
“First, let me thank the Member for raising this Parliamentary Question (PQ), as well as for sharing this example. It is important for us to explain and clarify. Let me reassure the Member that hospitals do not differentiate the treatment routes based on the subsidy status of the patients, as long as the treatment route is required and necessary. In this instance, it is, indeed, unfortunate that there is this perception. We need to get more details to better understand the case. Let me briefly elaborate. There are clinical guidelines for pain management in different clinical conditions, which provide clinical guidance on the choice of pain relief drugs, and these are in line with international practices. Typically, for pain management, as the Member has highlighted, clinical guidelines may give guidance to provide baseline pain management; further pain drugs may be added, if required; as well as to start with the least invasive drugs. This approach is quite typical across the different clinical conditions. The patient may, first, be prescribed oral Panadol. This could progress to stronger, more potent drugs, through injections, for instance. These are not without side effects. Basically, throughout the spectrum of drugs required for pain management, you can find subsidised drugs. So, the patient does not really have to pay more for these subsidised drugs. There is no Panadol injection, but as the Member has mentioned, there are morphine, pethidine, nico injections which are in the Standard Drugs List. As I have said, these are stronger painkillers and may not be without their side effects. So, we need to ascertain if the patient's conditions will warrant these and if these are suitable for the patient. We would need further details to better understand the case.”
“In our public hospitals, care is provided based on the patients' clinical condition, rather than their subsidy status. Doctors and the healthcare team administer drugs and treatments appropriate to each patient's clinical needs. Where clinically appropriate to do so, generic drugs are used for both subsidised and private patients. However, as each patient has his own risk factors, clinical presentations and associated diseases, there may be differences in the treatment and drugs used for different patients, even for the same condition. Some of the drugs or treatments thus prescribed could be non-subsidised as there are more cost effective alternatives available. Nonetheless, where non-subsidised drugs or treatments are assessed to be clinically required and cannot be replaced by subsidised alternatives, patients from lower-income households are provided assistance to help them access these drugs or treatments. Public hospitals have various governance frameworks in place to ensure that patients receive care appropriate to their clinical needs. This includes accreditation committees to ensure appropriate use of new technologies and procedures and that procedures are performed by properly trained doctors. The Pharmacy and Therapeutic (P&T) and Medical Device (MDC) committees ensure clinically appropriate use of drugs and medical devices/implants respectively. There are also pre-operations conferences for peer review of elective surgeries to ensure that they are appropriate, safe and not unnecessary.”
“The other aspect of the work, for instance, of these employment support services by St Andrew's Community Services, is also about working with the potential employers and helping them to see how they can work together, perhaps even redesigning the job processes and so on, to accommodate the prospective employees. HPB also has mental health programmes that we encourage employers to implement at the workplace, for not just potential employees but existing employees as well.”
“Yes. IMH itself has a programme to help these patients find jobs – train them, prepare them and to find jobs. Just over the weekend, I actually attended an event run by a charity group, Mindset, which is working with St Andrew's Community Services who has employment support schemes to help these ex-patients and patients in recovery re-integrate back into society in terms of upgrading their skills, and provide them with relevant skills to enhance their employability and also help them find jobs.”
“I do not have the statistics for the number of children with mental health problems. Perhaps, the hon Member might like to file another Parliamentary Question on it. With regard to integration in schools and the community, I think IMH is mindful of this, and that is the reason why, as far as possible, we do not encourage institutionalised care and we try and integrate them back into the society in terms of having close follow-up through support services within the community, like mental health clinics within the community, so that they do not have the stigma. They do not have to go to IMH. They could also access community-led teams that can support them, if needed, with home visits and so on.”
“As I have noted earlier in my reply, we have ramped up the supply of trained psychiatrists and the increase over the years has been about 46% between 2009 and 2013. We think that this should be sufficient. In addition, of course, we need to train nurses, as well as allied health professionals, for this. I have also said that in order to be able to avail such services to the community and care for these patients in the community – try and prevent relapse – we have taken a multi-prong approach, various initiatives. I have actually elaborated on some of them earlier in terms of IMH enhancing its own capability for after care services for these patients, especially the high-risk patients. In fact, mental health clinics that are providing such services are also keeping a close track on the "no show" patients, as I have also said earlier. There are other initiatives, for instance, having community support teams – specialists, allied health teams, specialist-led Page: 18 or multidisciplinary-led teams – that can be accessed by the community for interventions.”
“I have touched on that – working with the grassroots organisations, training them so that they can recognise some of these potential relapse cases and then, linking them to the appropriate services. Lastly, enhancing our crisis response. IMH operates a 24-hour mental health helpline which will provide immediate support and advice for patients, caregivers and community partners. You can access it through some of our community partners, such as the Family Service Centres.”