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SINGAPORE: The Manpower Ministry has announced new changes for employers of foreign workers, including maids.
It is changing the requirements in insurance coverage and security bond conditions.
When misfortune strikes and a foreign worker needs to be hospitalised, he does not have enough insurance coverage.
In fact, employment agencies said nine out of ten foreign workers do not have enough coverage.
Brian Soh, senior manager, Acetech Manpower Consultancy Pte Ltd, said: “The current medical coverage for the foreign workers, when they are hospitalised, is actually not enough to cover. The mere S$5,000 is hardly enough for them to actually perform even the smallest of operations. We had a few cases whereby the workers have to bear the additional coverage, expenses that is incurred to them when they have to be hospitalised."
So from January 2010, employers must buy medical insurance with a minimum coverage of S$15,000 a year for each foreign worker.
This is a three-fold increase from the existing coverage of S$5,000.
Current premiums for the S$5,000 coverage are now S$100 a year and insurance companies are working out the new cost of the increased coverage.
Also revised are the conditions for the security bond.
If a foreign worker absconds, the employer stands to lose only half of the S$5,000 bond instead of the full amount.
The ministry will only forfeit half of the security deposit if the employer has made reasonable efforts to locate the worker.
The employer will also no longer lose the S$5,000 security bond should the foreign worker become pregnant or marry a Singaporean or a permanent resident although the foreign worker's work permit will be revoked.
A security bond requires employers of non-Malaysian Work Permit Holders, including foreign domestic workers, to furnish a S$5,000 security bond. -CNA/vm
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