Fairness at Work

Work-wise, what am I most grateful for in 2019?

Is it the fact that the Bicentennial Experience touched over 760,000 visitors, well beyond our wildest dreams? That my pet subject as a Member of Parliament – more preschool support – got a decisive boost in 2019? Or that tripartite partners sealed a historic agreement for a 10-year roadmap to raise the retirement and re-employment ages, which will help many older workers who wish to work longer?

Somewhat unexpectedly and out of hundreds of emails that I get, a special ‘inbox’ entry on 11 Dec 2019 left a particularly deep impression. 

Penned by Ms R Teo (name withheld for privacy), it described her family’s journey to seek redress for her mother’s work injury (image attached). Ms Teo shared how the professionalism and assuring hand of MOM officer Mabel Lim, moved her.  

I am immensely grateful to Ms Teo for taking the time and effort to write to me, and even more so, to colleagues like Mabel. They reaffirmed my belief that at its heart, the Ministry of Manpower is about fairness at the workplace.

For Ms Teo’s family, it was about fair compensation for the pain her mum suffered. It helps that workplace fatalities have fallen consistently since 2015, and sustained the record low rate of 1.2 per 100,000 workers two years in a row. 

Lower fatalities and injuries mean that more comparisons are favourable internationally. However, their real significance is fairness for workers whose lives are put at risk. That is why we developed the Workplace Safety and Health 2028 plan.

In fact, every single day, my colleagues at MOM actively pursue fairness at the workplace.

For jobseekers, fairness is when employers hire on merit. When a job is advertised, there should be no closed “circle of friends” who are favoured. When a person is the best candidate, gender, age, race, physical or past medical conditions should not be barriers. That is why we have the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP).

When a worker is older, he should be fairly considered and prepared for re-employment. When a worker tries his best but does not earn much, his income and retirement savings should be fairly supplemented. That is why we have Workfare and Silver Support.

To a self-employed person, it is fair to be paid on time for work done and compensated for prolonged sick leave.  To a domestic helper, it is fair to have a rest day. To outsourced workers, it is fair to have a proper rest area. That is why we launched Workright and Workcare.

Everyone, including lower-wage workers, needs fair chances to progress. In a time of business disruptions worldwide, all of us need fair opportunities to reskill and stay employed. In the unfortunate event of a retrenchment, we need fair payouts. 

It is not only employees who want fairness at the workplace. Employers too, need to be treated fairly. 

Sometimes, disgruntled employees wrongly accuse them. They count on MOM to be fair investigators.  

Other times, irresponsible employment agents frustrate them. They rely on MOM to be fair disciplinarians.

When there are calls for legislation to place more obligations on employers, they look to MOM to strike a fair balance. 

As we begin 2020, my colleagues at MOM and I re-dedicate ourselves to strengthening fairness at the workplace as a value and a virtue. With fairness as a foundation, we can have more progressive workplace practices. 

For a start, we plan to update the Fair Consideration Framework. Expect stronger deterrence for discrimination against Singaporeans when hiring, but also stronger support for employers who are committed to giving our people a fair chance. 

At the same time, we are gearing up for Budget 2020 and the Committee of Supply debate. In good times, it is fair for employers to share gains. In times of change, it is fair for the Government to support the efforts of businesses that also benefit workers.

MOM will always walk this journey with you, just as Mabel had walked Ms Teo and her family through their ordeal.

As clichéd as it may sound, the pursuit of fairness at the workplace is a journey without end. We must always strive to do better.  

We can and we will.