Manpower Ministry to release consultation paper on Employment Act changes

The Manpower Ministry will at the end of the month, come up with a public consultation paper on proposed changes to the Employment Act. 

The Labour Movement is pushing for the Employment Act to cover more professionals, managers and executives. 

Increased coverage will mean that more white-collar workers can claim, among other things,  overtime pay and retrenchment benefits. 

Acting Manpower Minister, Tan Chuan-Jin,  says the public consulation paper will take into account the important inputs raised by employers and unions,  with the aim of coming up with a fair and balanced package. 

Mr Tan noted that the National Trades Union Congress had announced its wishlist for the Employment Act and many of the issues raised have been highlighted in the tripartite discussions. 

The Acting Minister also noted the concerns of employers who are asking for flexibility. 

Mr Tan stressed that Singapore's secret weapon over the years has been  the strong tripartism involving  the labour movement, employers bodies and the government. 

And this has helped to meet challenges head on. 

He  was speaking at the Graduation Ceremony of the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute. 

Mr Tan also said the re-employment legislation,  which obliges employers to re-employ older workers up to the age of 65, has been smoothly implemented.
97 percent of the 11,500 local employees who were retiring as at the end of June 2011 were offered employment beyond 62.