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SINGAPORE: As Singapore gears up for re-employment laws which will come into force in 2012, one area is to develop various healthcare options for older workers, said Acting Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong.
For one, the Government is exploring, with the Tripartite Implementation Workgroup, different ways of providing portable insurance for older workers.
Some of these workers may switch jobs and would not be covered by insurance during the period in transition, Mr Gan told Today.
The new company may not offer the same coverage, or the workers may become uninsurable if they develop an illness.
“So, portable medical insurance means that workers can carry (the policies) wherever they go and receive insurance cover,” he said.
Currently, the insurable age cap for mature workers stands at 64, but some insurers have agreed to raise this by one year.
“But bear in mind, the Medi-shield plan is a key factor that provides basic healthcare for everyone in Singapore already,” added Mr Gan, stressing that flexibility is the key to making re-employment work.
Employees and employers should come to a mutual agreement on the terms of employment, he said. Sometimes workers will have their own insurance; sometimes the company will provide it, “so there are many different alternatives, and options to address the issue of workers’ healthcare”.
Mr Gan was speaking at the sidelines of the Chua Chu Kang Community Club open house yesterday, which attracted some 5,000 residents and participants.
Addressing the issue of workplace safety — there was another shipyard fatality last Friday — he said that Singaporeans can expect “more guidelines and advisory, especially in the offshore and marine industry”, and for those working in confined spaces or at heights. Safety in other industries, for instance, the construction sector, is also important.
The national 2018 target of1.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers “requires us to rethink our framework and introduce new measures and help industries inculcate this culture of safety”, he said, adding that many of the accidents are “avoidable and unnecessary”.
Touching on concerns about job losses — an issue also addressed by other leaders in recent days —Mr Gan encouraged workers to upgrade themselves to remain relevant and employable. “We will continue to create new jobs, so the key is to ensure workers who are affected will be able to find new jobs as soon as possible,” he said.
Certain sectors, especially hospitality and construction, will continue to expand in the coming months, he added. - TODAY/ra
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