Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State (Education and Manpower) for the 2nd Reading of The Workplace Safety and Health (Amendment) Bill 2008, 6 March 2008.

With effect from 1 March 2008, six new sectors will be covered under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act. They are: (a) Healthcare Activities; (b)Veterinary Activities; (c) Hotels, Food and Beverage Sectors; (d) Water Supply, Sewerage and Waste Management Activities; (e) Landscape Care and Maintenance Service Activities; and (f) Services allied to Transportation of Goods.

From 1 February 2008, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will no longer issue Professional Visit Passes (PVP) to foreigners working in Singapore on short term assignments. MOM will instead introduce two new Work Pass categories for such foreigners - the Miscellaneous Work Pass and the Work Permit (Performing Artiste).

Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State (Education and Manpower) for the 2nd Reading of the Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Bill on 22 January 2008.

In March 2007, during the Committee of Supply, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced that the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) levy concession[1] will be extended to employers with disabled dependents[2], or who are themselves disabled. Employers may now apply for the FDW Levy Concession (Persons with disability) from 15 September 2007. Eligible employers will enjoy a concessionary levy rate of $170 monthly. The application form and detailed application procedure can be found on the Disability Portal at www.disability.org.sg.

A new law will come into effect to ensure that Singaporeans stay employed longer. From 2012, a re-employment law will be passed making it mandatory for employers to offer re-employment to workers who have reached the retirement age of 62. Initially, they will have to offer re-employment for workers up to the age of 65. This will later be increased to the age of 67.

The Ministry of Manpower has stepped up enforcement to deter abuse of the workmen's compensation system. This year, four workers were prosecuted for making fraudulent claims under the Workmen's Compensation Act (WCA). They were convicted and jailed ranging from four to six weeks for attempting to claim work injury compensation though they were not injured in the course of work.

Second Reading Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng on the Passports (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on 16 July 2007.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) would like to invite feedback from members of the public on the following 2 draft Regulations:
(a) Workplace Safety and Health (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) Regulations; and
(b) Workplace Safety and Health (Scaffolds) Regulations.

The NWC has submissted its Guidelines for 2007/2008 to the Government. The NWC has urged employers to give their staff wage increases for helping their companies perform well. The NWC also endorsed efforts to help low-wage workers through the "Workfare Income Supplement Scheme".

The Government has accepted the National Wages Council (NWC)'s wage recommendations for 2007/2008.

The Ministry OF Manpower has amended the Employment of Foreign Workers Act (EFWA) to increase the penalties for selected offences, introduce new offences, and enhance the powers of Employment Inspectors to facilitate enforcement efforts.

The new Act will also consolidate the legislative authority for all work passes under the EFWA. The Act will hence be renamed the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA). With the consolidation, the EFMA will be the key legislation governing the employment of foreigners at all levels in Singapore.

The TAFEP has issued the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices that identify fair and progressive HR practices in areas such as job applications, interviews, progression, grievance handling, and so forth. The Guidelines will help employers recruit based on objective criteria and adopt progressive in-employment processes to give employees opportunities for growth and development based on merit. In dealing with grievances, employees should be provided the opportunity to present their case and be treated with respect.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is proposing several changes to legislation to strengthen workforce practices in Singapore. These energed during the Committee of Supplies Debate (ie Budget Debate) in Parliament on 7 and 8 March 2007 concerning MOM.

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will be tabling in Parliament the Employment of Foreign Workers (Amendment) Bill, which sets out the proposed amendments to the EFWA which seeks to consolidate under a single Act, the legislative authorities for the issuance and enforcement of Work Permits and S Passes under the EFWA, and Employment Passes under the Immigration Act (IA). With the consolidation, the EFWA will be renamed the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) to reflect its broader coverage. As the EFMA will have an impact on all current and prospective foreign employees and their employers, MOM would like to present a draft of the EFMA and invite feedback from all interested stakeholders and members of the public.

When the Workplace Safety and Health Act came into effect on 1 March 2006, 11 factories subsidiary legislation were repealed as most of them were transferred into the new WSH subsidiary legislation (e.g. WSH (General Provision) Regulations). However there are still 18 remaining factories subsidiary legislation that are still in force by virtue of section 67(14) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act. Please refer to Annex A for the list of 18 legislations. The Ministry will carry out the review of the subsidiary legislation in phases over the next few months to update and align the provisions to the new Workplace Safety and Health Act.

The Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations will take effect from 1 September 2006. The Regulations state the responsibility of employers, self-employed persons and principals (including contractors and sub-contractors) to identify safety and health hazards at workplaces and to take appropriate actions to eliminate or reduce the risks associated with the hazards.

The Ministry of Manpower will introduce a Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) from 1 January 2007 to help us better attract and retain global talent. The PEP will facilitate selected Employment Pass holders to continue working in Singapore. The PEP will be granted to suitable EP holders or foreigners who have graduated from our institutions of higher learning, and have worked in Singapore for a period of time.

The Association of Employment Agencies and Casetrust have come up with standard contracts for maid employers.

Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee ('WSHAC') and the Ministry of Manpower ('MOM') are co-developing the first National Workplace Safety and Health Strategy for Singapore. This strategy is currently in the drafting stage. WSHAC and MOM would like to invite views and feedback on the draft strategy. Based on feedback received from various industries, WSHAC and the MOM hope to develop a comprehensive strategy towards attaining their target of halving work-related fatalities to 2.5 fatalities per 100,000 by 2015.

The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) has published an Age-Friendly Employment Practices guide to encourage employers to adopt human resource practices that can help them better tap on the strengths of older workers.

From 1 July 2006, the following changes to the CPF schemes will take effect:
1. Transfer of excess Medisave Account contributions to Special or Retirement Account instead of the Ordinary Account;
2. Restrictions on use of CPF savings for multiple property purchases;
3. Phasing out of Non-Residential Properties Scheme; and
4. Increase in CPF Minimum Sum, Medisave Minimum Sum and Medisave Contribution ceiling.

Minister Ng Eng Hen's speech at 2nd Reading of the Enlistment (Amendment) Bill (3 Apr 2006).

The National Wages Council (NWC) chaired by Prof Lim Pin, Professor of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, will commence its deliberations on wage and wage-related guidelines for 2006/ 2007 in mid-April 2006. To assist the NWC in its deliberations, members of the public and organisations are invited to offer their views on the wage guidelines.

The design and security features of “BioPass”, Singapore’s first biometric passport were unveiled by Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) this morning.