The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced on 3 February 2023 that it has set up a network to develop key operational policies and implementation to facilitate work injury compensation for platform workers.
The Platform Workers Work Injury Compensation Network (PWIN) comprises platform companies, insurers, and tripartite partners, including the Singapore National Employers Federation, the National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA).
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said: “This will allow perspectives from the various stakeholders to be considered when developing these processes, such as for claims processing and reporting work injuries.”
The formation of PWIN comes after the Government accepted all 12 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers in November 2022.
The PWIN will facilitate key operational issues such as the process for reporting work injuries.
The network will also investigate claims where workers who engage multiple platforms are injured while at work, and how to determine platform workers’ earnings to determine loss of income.
Implementation details that PWIN will develop will also include the operational processes required to support insurance claims processing and dispute resolution.
The Work Injury Compensation regime was mooted to give platform workers the same scope of injury coverage as workers protected under the Work Injury Compensation Act.
The regime will be introduced in the later part of 2024.
Following the announcement, a dialogue session was held with some 120 platform workers.
The panel includes NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon and NTA, NPHVA and NDCA Advisor Yeo Wan Ling.
The dialogue session was part of NTUC’s #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations and jointly organised with MOM.
Most concerns brought up by platform workers during the dialogue session were regarding the implementation of CPF contribution rates.
The CPF contribution will be mandatory for platform workers below 30 years old when it is implemented in 2024. Meanwhile, cohorts 30 and above can opt into the full CPF contribution regime.
One concern bought up was possible discrimination by platform companies towards platform workers who opt-in for CPF contribution as it would cost more for companies.
The labour chief urged all platform workers to opt-in for CPF contribution rates.
He added that representation for platform workers is important so that NTUC can protect them.
“If there are any unfair practices you are worried about, we will continue to work with the [platform] companies and the Government on the representation framework so that NTUC can represent all of you,” said Mr Ng.
Part of the 12 recommendations to the Government by the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers in November 2022 includes providing platform workers with the right to formal representation through a new representation framework.
