Give workers a fair chance for meaningful employment; foster an inclusive and healthy workforce; champion family-friendly workplaces; work with tripartite partners to instil fairness at the workplace.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will deepen and expand these efforts to help workers and companies tackle Singapore’s immediate challenges and prepare them for the future of work, according to Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.
Mrs Teo delivered MOM’s addendum to the Presidential Address in Parliament on 24 August 2020.
100,000 Jobs and Skills Opportunities
To provide Singaporean workers with a fair chance for meaningful employment, Mrs Teo said the National Jobs Council has been tasked to create 100,000 jobs and skills opportunities over the next year, through the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.
She had earlier informed the press on 11 August 2020 that 24,000 jobseekers have been placed into a mix of long- and short-term roles thus far.
On workers who have been displaced, Mrs Teo said Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its partners will strive to have every newly displaced worker to returned to meaningful employment.
WSG will be working with employers to make jobs available to jobseekers who are willing to acquire new skills through subsidised training and the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI).
It will support employers to host traineeships and attachments by co-funding the training allowance. This will allow jobseekers to gain industry-relevant skills and be better positioned for economic recovery.
More robust support will be extended to employers who favourably consider middle-aged and mature workers.
Fair Hiring and Retrenchments
On fair hiring and retrenchment practices, Mrs Teo said: “Singaporeans, regardless of age, race, gender, must have a fair chance at job opportunities.
Given the on-going pandemic, MOM will be making adjustments to foreign workforce policies, including raising the salary criteria for EP and S Passes, to reflect the changed conditions.
“Even as we stay open to the world to accelerate our recovery, the crisis makes it all the more important that employers give fair treatment to Singaporeans,” she said.
MOM will make sure retrenchment exercises are carried out fairly and ensure that employers uphold the requirements stipulated in the Fair Consideration Framework, said Mrs Teo.
Looking Out for Self-Employed Persons (SEPs)
MOM will continue to implement the recommendations of the Tripartite Workgroup to better protect SEPs.
This will help reduce payment-related disputes, mitigate the loss of income due to prolonged illness or injury, and support SEPs in their upskilling needs.
The responsibilities of service-buyers and intermediaries will also be further reviewed to bring about a fairer and more balanced relationship with SEPs.
Better Wages Through the Progressive Wage Model (PWM)
Other than sectors like cleaning, security, and landscaping – MOM is looking at expanding the PWM to more sectors in a practical manner that will keep levels of local unemployment low.
In the attempt to raise the wages of lower-income workers, Mrs Teo stated: “We may have to pay slightly more for services so that lower-income workers are able to take on better jobs and earn higher wages.
Together with Government support schemes such as Workfare, she said the PWM will help mitigate inequalities and strengthen our country’s social compact.
A Fair Support System
MOM will conduct regular reviews of Workfare and Silver Support to help uplift those with lesser means.
To better support persons with disabilities (PWDs), MOM has also introduced the Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), which will help approximately four in five of the current PWD employees.
“We will continue to look out for gaps in our social safety nets, and enhance support in sustainable ways, and ensure every Singaporean who makes an effort gets a fair chance to bounce back from employment setbacks,” said Mrs Teo.
MOM will implement the Citizens’ Panel’s recommendations to support employers to offer flexible work arrangements and work-life harmony initiatives.
MOM will continue to work with its tripartite partners to overcome the economic and labour market challenges brought about by COVID-19.
Mrs Teo said: “To help our workers and business succeed, we will continue to uphold fair opportunities, fair hiring, fair competition, and fair support for everyone to progress at every stage of their working lives.
“In collaboration with the whole-of-society as part of the SG Together movement, we can and will emerge stronger from this crisis as a cohesive society.”
