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Singapore's civil service will speed up and implement the re-employment process for older workers within the next three years, rather than wait for legislative changes slated to happen in five years.
This means that by 2010, civil servants who reach the age of 62 could be rehired by the Government, if they meet certain criteria such as medical fitness.
"The civil service... has already made a commitment that they will implement this re-employment system within three years, not five years," said Minister of State for Manpower Gan Kim Yong at a forum yesterday.
He cited this as an example of how the tripartite partners are working with companies to put in place the system "ahead of the five-year time frame".
Introducing legislation that allows older workers to work beyond the retirement age was one of the key recommendations made by the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers this month.
But questions linger — such as why the Government needs five years to pass the law. Said president of the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority Workers' Union, Mr Freddy Lim: "Since the Tripartite Committee was set up in 2005, we've lost two years already… From the ground, implementation is still slow."
Mr Gan, the committee's chairman, told the forum attended by unionists, employers and government agencies that because of the diverse nature of Singapore's labour market, more time is needed to work with companies to understand the challenges they face.
He also stressed that legislation is not a cure-all and must be complemented by "efforts to help businesses adjust" while workers must "be prepared to work longer and retire later".
Another of the committee's recommendations was for a "Women Back To Work" work-group to look into enhancing older women's employability.
Assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress Halimah Yacob said the workgroup would work with firms to promote part-time and flexible working arrangements, and with care centres to address their needs.
She applauded the example of Orchard Hotel, where foreign workers are put on more afternoon and weekend shifts so as to let female housekeeping staff spend more time with family.
Said the hotel's director of human resources, Ms Erica Chui: "These are very good staff and I don't want to lose them."
- TODAY/so
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