Primed to be re-hired

Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.
Government aims to retain 10,000 older male workers in the next five years

Jasmine Yin
jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as it ramps up efforts for firms to hire older Singaporeans, the Government has also set its sights on plugging the outflow of mature male workers from the labour market. Now, eight out of 10 men in the 55 to 59-year-old bracket work, but this ratio falls to six in 10 when they hit 60 to 64 years old, observed Minister for Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen (picture).
.
So, according to statistical extrapolation, some 21,000 males between 55 to 59 now will stop working in 2012 — a leakage that Dr Ng, who is also the Second Minister for Defence, wants to stop.
.
"Within the next five years, we will work hard to keep at least half of them working. This means we'll add 10,000 residents to the workforce, but if our economy continues to grow and create 180,000 jobs like last year, we can absorb them," he said at a press conference yesterday.
.
"So, if you're aged 55 to 59 today, you're my target. Is that do-able? Yes, it will involve hard work, but it's do-able."
.
At a separate event yesterday, Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister overseeing ageing issues, said that the re-employment law for older workers in Singapore is likely to be modelled after Japanese legislation.
.
In Japan, the employer is obliged to offer re-employment to an employee who reaches 60 years old, but there are options to do so, Mr Lim pointed out. The person can be offered the same job with the same pay; the same job with lesser pay, or a different job and different pay.
.
"We have decided that we'll follow the same thinking because we believe that the fundamental principle of successful employment must be that it makes economic sense for the employer to engage an older worker," he said.
.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked with 161 companies to place 2,481 older workers with jobs last year. As of July, the number of firms and jobs went up to 275 and just over 3,000 respectively.
.
Urging employers to start thinking about the re-employment law now, Mr Lim proffered that there could be firms, especially very small outfits, that may find it tough to re-employ their older staff.
.
"The earlier we start, then the earlier we know what kinds of issues may come up and then what kinds of solutions might be possible," said Mr Lim.
.
Mr Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), suggested that smaller companies here might also want to follow another Japanese practice.
.
There, smaller companies which could not offer their older employees jobs within the company "will bear some costs for the retraining of the workers and place them in another company or industry", he told Channel NewsAsia.
.
Mr Lim, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also noted that a key issue that employers need to look long and hard at is the cost of re-hiring older workers. This is where schemes like a performance-based pay — instead of one based on the employee's seniority — and portable medical benefits can come in.
.
Portable medical benefits allow "certainty for the employer of how much you have to pay for the employees' medical expenses", said Mr Lim.
.
When asked about safeguards to ensure that older workers are re-hired fairly, Mr Lim said he expects the unions and the Manpower Ministry to step in should complaints of unfair re-employment offers or unfair treatment arise. In the pipeline too, are plans to monitor and highlight cases of companies that have successfully — and fairly — re-negotiated terms of employment with existing staff as role models for others to follow.
.
Another area that the authorities are looking at is part-time employment, which has not quite taken off in Singapore.
.
In the European Union, he noted, part-timers make up 30 per cent of employment in the services sector, followed by healthcare (28 per cent) and education (24 per cent).
.
There could be certain sectors that are "easier" to be organised for people to work part-time, Mr Lim said.

In response to the article above, I support the government's view point and potential steps they are to implement. The newly introduced laws may address many issues, recent and old.

The first problem it addresses is the lack of jobs for the elderly. Even today, it is a common sign at mass transit stations to spot the elderly begging people to buy tissues, simple food or some (to the extent of) pure begging, especially some disabled or handicapped people. Many of them are probably willing to look for jobs, but are unable to do so with such a competitive market. Gone are the days where education is considered a premium - many of these uneducated (or even illiterate) people cannot even compare up to even the 'O' level students, some not even PSLE. Although they have the experience, they barely have the spirit, energy or enthusiasm. Therefore, the introduction of such laws will create better prospects for the elderly of Singapore.

The second problem is how it addresses the drop in standard of living many elderly are not willing to take, resulting in sustained spending after their retirement without the income to support it, resulting a downward spiral in terms of savings. Those who plan ahead have enough to spend before realizing this is not the way to go, but many who don't probably become so poor they are forced to look for a job only to find none. Also, it is not uncommon to hear years of CPF funds being withdrawn and spent within a year or even months. Therefore the increased aged of employment and CPF withdrawal will sharply increase Singaporean's economic health for the elderly.

The recent problem it addresses is the problem of the lack of new babies. If the workforce spirals into a decline without stopping for years at a go, it may represent a big hit to the economy. This is bad for everyone, companies, youngsters, elderly and industries alike. This isn't an immediate problem, but a solution will take a long time to take effect, and it'll take years when the problem hits Singapore at full force.

Therefore, I fully support and agree with the government's actions.