Tan See Leng
Singapore
“We are aware of the Singapore Workplace Report 2026, produced by the Singapore Institute of Directors and Gallup, and we are studying its findings.”
“The Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation (Taskforce) actively reaches out to all retrenched local employees. In 2025, 77% of Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications (MRNs) were submitted at least seven days ahead of the employee's last working day and 73% of MRNs were submitted at least two weeks ahead.”
“From 2022 to 2025, vacancy rates for technical maintenance roles in the real estate services sector, which includes facilities management, have been lower than the overall job vacancy rate, except in 2025 (see Table 1).”
“The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) works with sector agencies to determine the courses which are required by the respective industries. The SWDA currently funds more than 100 courses, spanning a wide range of mental health-related fields.”
“In the first quarter of 2026, the profile of retrenched residents aged 50 to 59 was broadly similar to the profile of all retrenched residents, predominantly comprising professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and were mainly from wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, financial and insurance services and profession…”
“In 2025, around 4,200 resident professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) aged 45 to 59 were retrenched, higher than 3,200 in 2024 and 3,500 in 2023. Their six-month re-entry rate remained stable at 48.5% in 2025, compared with 48.9% in 2024 and 50.1% in 2023.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,238 lines we hold for Tan See Leng, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 22 of 45.
“Mr Speaker, good morning and thank you for prioritising the balance of my Parliamentary Questions (PQs) to be answered this morning. May I now have your permission to address together three oral PQs for today’s Sitting, Question Nos 1 to 3 in today's Order Paper? My response will also cover the matters raised in the two written questions by Mr Christopher de Souza scheduled for 7 February 2024.”
“This question has been answered as part of the Minister for Manpower's oral reply to Parliamentary Questions No 32 to 37 on 5 February 2024. Members may refer to the transcript for the reply. [Please refer to "Companies that Fail to Give Mandatory Notification to Government When They Retrench Employees", Official Report, 5 February 2024, Vol 95, Issue 120, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“This question has been answered as part of the Minister for Manpower's oral reply to Parliamentary Questions No 32 to 37 on 5 February 2024. Members may refer to the transcript for the reply. [Please refer to "Companies that Fail to Give Mandatory Notification to Government When They Retrench Employees", Official Report, 5 February 2024, Vol 95, Issue 120, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The average occupancy rate of dormitories last year was around 97% – or close to full occupancy. In comparison, the occupancy rate in 2019 (pre-COVID-19) was around 90%. The median monthly rental rate was about $450 per bed last year, compared to around $300 per bed in 2019.”
“From 2021 to 2023, the Ministry of Manpower investigated about 210 cases per year for kickback offences. Over the three years, about 70 employers were taken to task annually; of which, about 70% were issued with warnings or composition fines and the remainder were charged in Court. Of those charged, about 90% were successfully convicted, with the rest still undergoing Court proceedings.”
“There are currently 310 resident and 70 non-resident employee pet groomers. Under the Code of Animal Welfare (for the Pet Industry) developed by the National Parks Board, pet groomers should be properly and adequately trained, including in the areas of animal care, animal handling and grooming requirements of the various breeds and species. Under the Work Injury Compensation (WIC) Act, all employees, regardless of occupation and nationality, are covered for work injuries and occupational diseases sustained out of and in the course of work. Employers are required to purchase WIC insurance for employees doing manual work regardless of salary level – including all pet groomers – and employees doing non-manual work, who earn $2,600 or less a month. If groomers are injured in the course of their work, the employer should conduct a proper inquiry and take remediation action. Under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act, employers are responsible for identifying safety hazards at workplaces and taking reasonably practicable measures to eliminate or reduce risks. Employers can refer to the Approved Code of Practice on WSH Risk Management for guidance on assessing WSH risks faced by their employees at work.”
“The Ministry of Manpower does not track non-work related injuries as the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) covers injuries arising out of and in the course of work. Non-work injuries sustained by migrant workers at their dormitories are not covered by WICA. There are affordable non-work injury insurance options available for migrant workers. Migrant workers can register for the Migrant Workers' Centre Associate Membership, which provides insurance coverage for death, total and permanent disability and critical illnesses not arising from work, at $6 for the first year and $24 annually for subsequent years. In addition, migrant workers' medical expenses, including from non-work related injuries, will be covered by the employer via mandatory medical insurance or otherwise, as required under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. WICA was introduced as a no-fault claims regime to protect employees to claim compensation for injuries that arose out of and in the course of work, in a fair and expeditious manner without having to take legal action. Given that WICA covers all employees, employers' obligations under WICA are scoped specifically to work-related injuries and there are no plans to expand this scope.”
“Eligible senior workers can undergo training with up to 90% salary and course fee support. With ageing and slowing workforce growth, it is imperative that we maximise the potential of our silver workforce. We hope that more employers can build more inclusive and age-friendly workplaces and our seniors can embrace ageing and stay economically active.”
“Between 2017 and 2021, about 97% of eligible resident employees who wished to continue working were offered and accepted re-employment after reaching retirement age. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is working with employers to increase the availability of suitable jobs and working directly with our senior workers to help them remain employable. Re-employment is a key thrust of our strategy to support senior employment. Employers must offer re-employment to eligible senior workers so that those willing and able to work can continue working beyond retirement age. The statutory retirement and re-employment ages will be progressively raised to 65 and 70 by 2030. Recognising that some seniors may wish to work in jobs that are of lower intensity or with greater flexibility, MOM incentivises employers to offer jobs tailored to these needs through the Part-Time Re-employment Grant (PTRG). Employers may also tap on grants such as the Support for Job Redesign and the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG-JR) to redesign jobs and workplaces to be more age-friendly. MOM is also collaborating with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to equip firms through the Company Training Committees to redesign jobs and carry out structured career planning such that the workforce, senior workers included, can continue to keep pace with business transformation through training. To improve the employability of our senior workers, we support them to upskill and reskill. We encourage them to do so earlier and continuously throughout their careers so that they stay relevant to the workforce. For instance, the Career Conversion Programmes help mid-career workers to reskill and transit into jobs or sectors with good prospects.”
“The Silver Support Scheme is targeted at seniors who had lower incomes during their working years and now have little or no family support in their retirement. It is not meant to be a universal support scheme. The household monthly income per person is indicative of the level of household support and remains a relevant consideration in ensuring the Silver Support Scheme is targeted at seniors who need it the most. We review the Silver Support Scheme regularly. The scheme was last enhanced in 2021, when we raised the qualifying threshold for the household monthly income per person from $1,100 to $1,800. This enabled more seniors, some of whom do live together with their children, to qualify for Silver Support. As announced by Prime Minister Lee at National Day Rally 2023, the Government will be making another round of enhancements to the Silver Support Scheme. Taken together with the Majulah Package and upcoming enhancements to the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, these measures will help seniors to meet their basic retirement needs, with greater support going to lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. More details will be announced at this year’s Budget and Committee of Supply debate.”
“For the rest of it, I would like to reassure Members of the House that whilst there have been a few high-profile retrenchments, Mr Neil Parekh has, in particular, asked about the Singapore job market over the next few months. Our assessment is that while the economy is projected to improve in 2024, there are still downside risks in the global economy. What we are doing is to make sure that we continue to work with our tripartite partners to keep a close watch on the situation to continue to be ready to provide employment facilitation and to ensure that any retrenched worker will be treated fairly. I want to end by exhorting all of our employers that retrenchment is a difficult phase that both employees and employers have to go through, especially when they are undergoing financial difficulties for companies or when they are restructuring their operations. However, it is even more difficult for our workers because it takes an emotional toll on them when it affects their livelihoods. Our tripartite partners understood this and developed TAMEM to guide companies to carry out retrenchment exercises responsibly if retrenchment is ultimately unavoidable. We will work closely and from the example of how the Lazada case was managed, the spirit of collaboration and tripartism in Singapore remains strong. We will continue to stand committed to work together to protect our workers' interests and we will, at the same time, also do our best to ensure that Singapore continues to remain competitive to provide good jobs. 2.03 pm”
“Yes. First, we engage and educate employers to act responsibly. I am going to try and jump forward quickly. Secondly, employers are required to notify MOM within five days of the retrenchment exercise. I will publish the entire transcript on the Hansard so that Members can read through. And third, we protect workers and we will not wait until retrenchment happens to do so. We also help workers to build career resilience, so that they can find new and better jobs when they face disruptions. I want to record the point and address the point that whilst some amongst us have called for stronger action to protect workers, even without legally mandating the retrenchment benefits, our MRN data from 2019 to 2023 shows that around nine in 10 eligible employees received retrenchment benefits. So, as I have alluded to on our approach, ensuring that while we protect the workers, we must continue to preserve the flexibility for businesses to adjust to market conditions because this will ultimately create and can sustain more good jobs for Singaporeans. During this particular period, with regard to this issue, Mr Gan and many other Members, a few other Members of the House also asked about collective agreements (CAs), non-compete clauses and restricted stock units. Suffice to say, whether or not a CA should be put in place, our approach has been to let the employer and the union decide. But any disagreements, including whether a CA should be put in place, can be raised to MOM for conciliation and the Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC) for arbitration if conciliation is unsuccessful.”
“Beyond this specific incident, several Members have also asked about how we ensure that retrenchment exercises are conducted in a fair and responsible manner. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked whether MOM should mandate all companies with at least 10 workers to notify unions about upcoming lay-offs. Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Louis Chua asked whether there should be penalties on companies who do not notify and consult unions about a retrenchment exercise and whether adequate compensation is made to employees. Mr Patrick Tay, Dr Tan Wu Meng, Mr Chua again and Mr Christopher de Souza asked about the measures to ensure responsible employment practices, compliance of companies with regard to MRN requirements and what actions can be taken against employers who are recalcitrant. I will address these questions together and start with our overall approach towards retrenchment issues. Singapore’s approach has always been one that is balanced and one that protects workers, whilst giving businesses flexibility. Let me make three points in our approach.”
“The Lazada incident clearly demonstrates the success of Singapore's unique model of tripartism. While there was an initial lapse on Lazada's part in not notifying the union on the retrenchment exercise which contravened the TAMEM, MOM actively stepped in and facilitated the discussions between Lazada and the FDAWU to help them arrive at an amicable and fair resolution that achieved win-win outcomes for the affected workers and the company. Lazada has also committed to working closely with FDAWU in the future. The satisfactory resolution to this matter was possible because of tripartism. This is a model where unions, companies and Government work together in a collaborative spirit to find solutions and build even stronger partnerships. In many other countries, the unions and companies would have approached similar issues in, perhaps, a more confrontational manner. This would have resulted in more conflicts, with potentially acrimonious and longer-term negative implications for all of the parties involved. However, in Singapore, this particular incident, was quite swiftly resolved. So, the ability to resolve such incidents attests to the high levels of trust amongst the tripartite partners. This is also why unionised companies should always consult their unions when making decisions that fundamentally impact workers, such as retrenchments. Members of the House, retrenchment exercises impact all of our workers emotionally, psychologically and, of course, financially. Unions will have the expertise to ensure that the exercise is carried out fairly, responsibly and communicated in a sensitive manner to affected workers. This will help to smoothen the process for companies and enable the affected workers going through this difficult period to be better supported.”
“In the past few weeks, MOM has been actively facilitating many rounds of negotiations between FDAWU and Lazada. This is to ensure a fair outcome for the affected employees and to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. As you may have heard in the news, MOM has managed to facilitate an amicable settlement between Lazada and FDAWU. FDAWU managed to secure an improved overall retrenchment package, with retrenchment benefits that are in line with industry standards. Lazada has also committed to working in closer partnership with FDAWU moving forward. To Dr Tan Wu Meng’s question, Lazada had submitted the Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications (MRNs) for its January 2024 retrenchment exercise on time. This is within five working days after the employees were notified. Following the submission, the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation worked with Lazada to provide the affected employees with career facilitation services and information kits on career resources. This taskforce comprises representatives from the MOM, Workforce Singapore (WSG), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG). To Ms Hazel Poa's question about the number and nationality profile of the affected Lazada employees, MOM does not publicly provide such information about a company’s business operations. Nonetheless, we reiterate that employers must conduct retrenchment exercises based on objective selection criteria. Mr Speaker and Members, Mr Yip Hon Weng asked about the lessons learnt from the Lazada incident. Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Neil Parekh also asked about steps to ensure that tripartism is maintained.”
“Members have filed these Parliamentary Questions (PQs) on various issues related to retrenchment and arising from a recent retrenchment exercise that has been in the news. I am taking these PQs collectively so as to provide a more comprehensive and holistic response. I will begin by first addressing the Lazada Group's retrenchment exercise conducted in January 2024. I believe that this was the e-commerce company referred to by Dr Tan Wu Meng, Ms Hazel Poa, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant in their PQs. First and foremost, I would like to assure Members that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has been actively involved in this matter to ensure that Lazada's retrenchment is conducted in a fair and responsible manner. To recap, in early January this year, there were reports of sudden layoffs at Lazada Singapore Pte Ltd which is conducted without consultation with the union, which is the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU). If Lazada had correctly notified the FDAWU early, they would have been able to work together with the union to ensure that the retrenchment exercise was carried out fairly and responsibly, and proper support was given to the affected workers. However, Lazada did not notify the FDAWU of the retrenchment exercise. This was not in line with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment (TAMEM). TAMEM sets out guidelines for employers on how to manage retrenchment exercises in a fair and responsible manner. MOM immediately stepped in to inform Lazada that their action was not aligned with TAMEM. Through MOM's intervention, Lazada apologised to the union and acknowledged that they should have notified them before informing employees. FDAWU accepted Lazada’s apology.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to address six oral Parliamentary Questions (PQs) numbering Question Nos 32 to 37 for the 5 February 2024 Sitting. In addition, to provide a more holistic answer, I will also address four oral PQs scheduled for the Sitting on 6 February and four written PQs scheduled for Sittings today and on 7 February 2024, please.”
“From January 2021 to November 2023, 74 appeals were filed with the Employment Claims Tribunals for leave or permission to appeal to the High Court. Leave or permission to appeal was allowed in four cases.”
“From January 2021 to November 2023, 3,110 claims were filed at the Employment Claims Tribunals. Majority of these claims were resolved at the case management conference (CMC). Around 30% of these claims were not resolved at the CMC and were fixed for a hearing. Out of the 3,110 claims, about 86% were filed by employees while the remaining 14% were filed by employers.”
“About 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from StartSAFE since its 2018 launch. Close to 800 StartSAFE participants have advanced to bizSAFE Level 3 and above. Companies achieving bizSAFE Level 3 would have passed an audit of their workplace risk management measures, which is a significant milestone. With this promising progress, we will continue to encourage more SMEs to participate in StartSAFE, a programme fully subsidised by the Government, to assist SMEs in strengthening workplace safety and health.”
“The requested data are in Charts 1 to 4 below. Data for the second-half of 2023 is not yet available. It is important to recognise the month-to-month volatility in the numbers and to assess the situation over a longer period, for a holistic and accurate view. From 2021 to the first-half of 2023, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and workers aged below 55 represented the majority of workplace fatalities and reported injuries. Construction and Manufacturing sectors were consistently the top contributors for workplace fatalities and workplace injuries respectively. Source: Ministry of Manpower – Workplace Safety and Health National Statistics Report”
“CPF members who are required to join CPF LIFE1, can apply to the CPF Board to be fully exempted from setting aside their CPF Retirement Sum and joining CPF LIFE if they are receiving lifelong monthly payouts from qualifying2 private annuities bought using cash. The Board approves of such exemptions, if their qualifying private annuities' payouts are no worse off than the member's cohort Full Retirement Sum payouts under the CPF LIFE Standard Plan3. Over the last five years, no member has applied for this option to be exempted from CPF LIFE.”
“Currently, around 80% of Purpose-Built Dormitories (PBDs) and more than 95% of Factory-Converted Dormitories (FCDs) do not meet the interim standards under the Dormitory Transition Scheme (DTS). Dormitories will progressively transit to the interim standards by 2030, with the first batch expected to complete the transition by 2027. Of the PBDs and FCDs on old standards, around 40% and 20% respectively will be exempted from DTS because their remaining lease durations are short and it would not be practical to require them to undergo retrofitting to DTS interim standards. Any new or redeveloped dormitories on new leases will instead, be required to meet the new dormitory standards that were announced in September 2021.”
“Based on latest available data from the Comprehensive Labour Force Surveys done in 2021 and 2022, the ratio of part-time to full-time employed persons with disabilities in the workforce is approximately one to four. The median pay gap between persons with disabilities who are Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians and those with no disability is about 13%. This median pay gap would be affected by differences in terms of occupation, industry, years of work experience and educational qualifications of persons with disabilities and those without. We do not track the resignation rates of persons with disabilities.”
“In the last two years, around 700 companies have received either the Productivity Solutions Grant or the Lorry Crane Stability Control System Grant. These grants defray the costs of adopting Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) technology solutions, amounting to a total of $8.4 million. Technology solutions help reduce workplace incidents and injuries. For instance, Fleet Safety Management solutions improve situational awareness of drivers and equipment operators; electronic Permit-To-Work systems provide better oversight and control of high-risk work activities; and Lorry Crane Stability Control Systems prevent lorry cranes from toppling. However, it is difficult to ascertain the exact efficacy of the individual solutions, as this depends on industry-specific risk factors and companies’ WSH practices. More broadly, technology alone cannot improve WSH without complementary work processes and proper training of workers.”
“The Ministry of Manpower has inspected all existing Construction Temporary Quarters (CTQs) regulated under the Foreign Employee Dormitory Act. There have been no major lapses uncovered. The most common minor issues uncovered include poor housekeeping such as faulty lights, water leakage in toilets and untidy rooms, which do not significantly affect the well-being of residents. CTQ operators have promptly rectified these minor issues and no penalties have been imposed.”
“Every successive cohort has seen a higher proportion of Central Provident Fund (CPF) members meeting and setting aside their Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). The number and proportion of active CPF members turning age 55 who have set aside the BRS have continued to improve from 26,500 or about 66% of the cohort in 2020 to 27,800 or almost 70% in 2022. Of these, about seven in 10 (or about 19,700) had accumulated the Full Retirement Sum or higher, and half (or about 14,100) had accumulated the Enhanced Retirement Sum or higher. While the BRS for each cohort is set at age 55, the MediSave Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) is fixed at age 65. The number and proportion of active CPF members turning age 65 who have set aside their BHS have maintained steadily at 12,300 or 49% in 2020, and 14,000 or about 48% in 2022. These figures are similar for active CPF members who are Singaporeans. Complete data on attainment rates of CPF members who turned age 55 in 2023 is not yet available.”
“The Government has extended the 4% interest rate floor on the Special, MediSave and Retirement Accounts (SMRA) monies to 31 December 2024 given the uncertain interest rate environment. With the pegged rate exceeding the 4% floor rate, Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will receive 4.08% per annum interest on their SMRA monies in the first quarter of 2024. The interest rate is reviewed quarterly. We remain committed to help members grow their CPF savings. We will continue to review the CPF interest rates regularly, including whether to continue extending the 4% interest rate floor, taking into consideration factors such as the evolving global economic conditions and the interest rate environment.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to address the Member Ms Hazel Poa's allegation. And to address the point that earlier, she mentioned that CPF accounts have been emptied. That point is not true. It is inaccurate. The way we have constructed the CPF, is, at 55, you have the Basic Retirement Sum within the Retirement Account. So, only amounts above the Basic Retirement Sum can be withdrawn from the CPF Ordinary Account or Special Account. Our CPF safeguards are no less stringent than what banks have put in place. That being said, any amount belonging to any CPF member is precious, is hard-earned and is most important to us. And that is why CPF Board constantly looks into and constantly reviews the ways to improve security, whilst preserving flexibility for our members. CPF Board also works very closely with a whole-of-Government to ensure this is kept tight. The Member may also take comfort in knowing that after the Singpass facial verification implementation in June 2023, no unauthorised losses was observed. I think for the balance of the other initiatives, I will leave it to Minister Josephine Teo who will provide a summary at the end.”
“Sixty percent of Employment Pass holders live in private residential properties; 30% live in rented Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, with the rest in other accommodation types. About 20% of S Pass holders live in private residential properties, 70% live in rented HDB flats and the rest in dormitories and other accommodation types. Ten percent of Work Permit holders live in private residential properties, 30% of them live in rented HDB flats, with the majority in dormitories and other accommodation types. These figures exclude migrant domestic workers.”
“For the five-year period from 2018 to 2022, less than 1% of the migrant domestic worker (MDW) applications under the Sponsorship Scheme, or fewer than 150 applications annually, were rejected due to a lack of eligible sponsors. The Ministry of Manpower does not collect data on the number of seniors who move to nursing homes because they were unable to hire an MDW.”
“As part of the retirement adequacy measures announced at the National Day Rally and in the Forward Singapore report, the Government will be enhancing the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme. Details will be announced at Budget 2024 and the Ministry of Manpower's Committee of Supply debate.”
“In line with industry practice, eligibility for the Home Protection Scheme (HPS) coverage is individually assessed based on the overall severity, prognosis and control of the medical condition as well as the individual's health risk profile. This approach ensures the affordability of premiums for the majority of members and the viability of the scheme. HPS currently already provides coverage for members with pre-existing health conditions, including persons with disabilities, after being assessed to be generally in good health. In the last three years, about 1.2% of HPS applications were not approved due to serious pre-existing medical conditions. Generally, members who are currently receiving treatment for serious medical conditions, such as cancer, stroke and kidney failure, are not eligible for HPS.”
“The percentage of own account workers by occupation and by gross monthly income tiers of (i) below $2,000, (ii) $2,000 to $3,999 and (iii) $4,000 to $5,999, for each year from 2019 can be found in Table 1 below.”
“The Ministry of Manpower does not track the participation rate of platform workers in Career Conversion Programmes (CCP). CCPs are full-time place-and-train or attach-and-train programmes that help jobseekers to make a career switch. This means that the jobseeker is placed on a full-time employment contract or attachment with the new employer and then put through a period of training to equip him or her for the new job. Upon successfully enrolling for a CCP, participants will need to commit to a dedicated period of training on the job or by external training providers. Provisions for flexible arrangements are subject to the agreement between the CCP employer and participant. For CCP participants seeking to undertake platform work concurrently, employers will have to assess whether there are flexible arrangements that can meet their business needs as well as participants' needs. Platform workers who want to continue with platform work but are interested to pick up new skills can tap on SkillsFuture training programmes, many of which are offered in part-time modality. These include the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme, which has both part-time and full-time options to cater to adult learners of different profiles. Workforce Singapore (WSG) works closely with sector agencies and industry to refresh existing CCPs and introduce new CCPs based on the manpower needs of our economy. Presently, WSG offers close to 100 CCPs across around 30 sectors. Platform workers and any local jobseekers who are looking for a career switch can find more information and apply for CCPs on WSG's CCP portal.”
“In 2021, about 1,900 companies1 in Singapore had established an after-hours work communication policy, based on a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) survey. Since the Alliance for Action on Work-Life Harmony launched the after-hours work communication policy template in September 2021, more than 700 company representatives have attended the Singapore National Employers Federation's workshops and briefings, which equip human resource professionals to implement the after-hours work communication policy. Establishing and communicating an after-hours work communication policy is already one of the ways for employers to fulfil the requirements under the Tripartite Standard for Work-Life Harmony. Other aspects that employers could include in their Work-Life Harmony Policy are employee support schemes, such as enhanced leave benefits and health and well-being initiatives. Employers should engage their employees to identify appropriate ways to support them in achieving work-life harmony. MOM will continue to work closely with the Tripartite Partners to encourage the adoption of the after-hours work communication policy and other employee support measures.”
“The number of own account workers (OAWs), by gross monthly income, since 2019 is as follows: The proportion of OAWs out of all resident full-time employed residents, by gross monthly income, since 2019 is as follows:”
“There are headwinds in the global investment environment. Against the backdrop of inflationary pressures, tighter monetary and fiscal policies in the global economy have slowed economic growth and increased financial market stresses. Hence, we need to carefully study and update our planning assumptions to strike the right balance between risk and return in the design of the Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme, in order to safeguard CPF members' retirement adequacy. We will provide updates when ready.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council disseminate information to migrant workers regularly through various communication channels, such as the FWMOMCare application, TikTok, Facebook and "Connect with ACE", which is an e-newsletter for migrant workers. The FWMOMCare application is available in six languages, namely, English, Mandarin, Bengali, Tamil, Thai and Vietnamese, and all migrant workers are asked to download it during the Settling-in Programme. Bite-sized information and simple pictograms on heat stress management in migrant workers' native languages were disseminated via the FWMOMCare Application earlier in May. Heat stress-related information was also published in the June 2023 issue of "Connect with ACE". These direct communications channels complement education efforts by employers. As part of the enhanced heat stress measures to reduce heat stress risks for outdoor workers, companies are required to educate their workers on preventive measures to take when working outdoors, such as hydrating regularly, resting under the shade and recognising early signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses. MOM and WSH Council will continue to send heat stress-related information and reminders to workers and companies ahead of the hotter seasons.”
“The Ministry of Manpower does not collect data on whether the cancellations of Dependant's Passes were due to divorce or death of the main pass holder.”
“In May 2021, Dependant's Pass (DP) holders who were working on a Letter of Consent (LOC) constituted about 1% of all work pass holders. As at September 2023, DP holders who have obtained a work pass continue to constitute around 1% of all work pass holders in Singapore.”
“The data requested is not available, as the Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) has just been introduced in April 2023 and the first payout for UEC will only be made in May 2024. The number of ex-offenders supported can only be computed closer to the payout date, as the scheme is still open for applications. Since UEC was introduced, Yellow Ribbon Singapore has been raising awareness of UEC amongst employers.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has earlier provided the average annual substantiated cases received through various channels broken down by the five categories. The Member may refer to the written reply to Question No 63 for the Sitting on 6 November 2023. [Please refer to "Feedback or Requests Received by Forward Assurance and Support Team Officers", Official Report, 6 November 2023, Vol 95, Issue 115, Written Answers to Questions section.] Depending on their individual preferences, migrant workers can reach out to MOM through calls, emails, MOM Service Centre, the Forward Assurance and Support Team (FAST) or the FWMOMCare mobile application. Unless the Member has a specific reason for asking about the FWMOMCare application, the breakdown of cases received through the different channels is not meaningful.”
“The Ministry of Manpower is studying the parameters for the scheme to support involuntarily unemployed workers to bounce back into jobs. More information will be announced at a later stage.”
“As part of Forward Singapore, the Government is working with NTUC, industry associations and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to develop new initiatives to professionalise skilled trades, such as by offering clearer career and skills progression ladders. At the same time, consumers and employers must also be willing to fairly reward tradespeople who have honed their skills to provide high quality services. We will announce details of these initiatives at a later date.”
“There are a total of 53,000 residents and 133,000 non-residents employed under the major occupational group of “Craftsmen and Related Trades Workers”. This occupational group covers a wide range of trades requiring varying levels of skill, including building and related trades workers, metal and machinery workers, and electrical and electronic trades workers. The median and average salaries of full-time employed residents in this occupational group are $2,700 and $3,100 respectively, while their median and average ages are 56 and 53 years. Demand trends for skilled trades workers differ across trades. Some trades, such as plumbing and electrical works, provide essential services and will always be in demand, even though the nature of these jobs will evolve as technology augments various tasks. Today, there are various learning and training programmes in place to develop a sustainable pipeline of locals for skilled trades. For example, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) delivers entry-level ITE Skills Certificate courses in Electrical Wiring and Residential Plumbing as well as related Part-time Nitec and Higher Nitec courses for adult learners in these fields. Apart from ITE, there are also training institutions offering upskilling courses, including courses funded by SkillsFuture Singapore, for mid-career tradespeople. Examples include the Building and Construction Authority’s BCA Academy and the Singapore Institute of Power and Gas. A whole-of-society effort will be needed to better recognise the diverse contributions of tradespeople whose services are essential to our daily lives.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not collect data on the percentage of construction companies which transport workers on rear decks of lorries that are bizSAFE Level 3-certified. However, more than 50% of all construction companies are at least bizSAFE Level 3-certified. bizSAFE is intended to help companies build their workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities using a Risk Management approach, and renewal for bizSAFE Level 3 is done every three years. The bizSAFE audit focuses on ensuring that companies have adequate risk management systems and processes in place to identify, address and eliminate WSH risks to their workers, including those transported on rear decks of lorries. bizSAFE auditors will focus on what they assess to be the top three risks for each company, which may or may not include lorry transport, depending on the nature of the companies’ work activities. MOM conducts inspections to check for employers’ compliance with the legal requirements introduced since 1 January 2023, such as appointing a “Vehicle Buddy” and ensuring that dual role drivers have a rest break before driving. Non-compliant employers are issued notices and are required to comply. Beyond MOM’s requirements, there are other safety requirements, such as requirements by the Land Transport Authority for the front passenger cabin to be fully occupied before the rear deck can be used to transport workers, and for lorries transporting workers to be fitted with canopies and higher side railings. Employers and other stakeholders should refer to the Inter-Agency Advisory on Safe Transport of Workers which consolidates new and existing legal requirements and recommended practices to enhance safety of workers on lorry transportation.”
“I do not have the statistics offhand. Perhaps Mr Leong can file a subsequent Parliamentary Question on this. I am happy to address it. We are going to release the Labour Market Report in December. There will be statistics to show that as well. That should come out within a month.”
“Additionally, the Ministry of Education (MOE) is also scaling up Work-Study programmes where fresh polytechnic and ITE graduates are placed into jobs where they can deepen their skills through a structured training programme that includes on-the-job training while they are pursuing careers which are related to the discipline of study. On top of that, we have Education and Career coaches and the career-matching services that WSG continues to provide, which offers a very good supplement to the current Education and Career Guidance programme provided by MOE as well as the IHLs. There is an entire slew of programmes available today for them to tap on. Notwithstanding that, we anticipate this tightness to ease in terms of the labour situation because of the uncertainties that we are entering into over the next one to two quarters. We will not hesitate to step up, and step in, to help our graduates further, should the need arise.”
“I thank the Member, Ms Nadia, for her supplementary questions. First, on underemployment, the measure that we have is time-related under-employment. Because of the tight labour market, time-related underemployment has been on a downward trend. Today, of all employed residents in Singapore, time-related underemployment accounts for about 3% of the entire employed workforce for residents. For fresh graduates, it is way below that. It is 1.9% of fresh graduates today that have time-related under-employment. In terms of the programmes, we have quite an extensive range of programmes to support our fresh graduates. At the IHLs, our students and graduates can tap on the Education and Career Counselling Services to find out more about jobs and what kind of opportunities and skill adjacencies they can have by upskilling. Leading Government agencies are working with industry partners. We are also working with the Labour Movement and with the unions to facilitate the entry of polytechnic and ITE graduates into good jobs within key priority sectors with attractive starting wages and also meaningful career progression pathways. In the information and communications technology sector, we work with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). There is a TechSkills Accelerator programme for ITE and polytechnics called the TechSkills Accelerator for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance; and this was set up in 2022. This is to drive the shift in hiring practices in the tech industry from one that is qualification-based to one that is skills-based.”