Ong Hua Han on Platform Workers Bill

Mandating CPF contributions for platform workers has benefits but also potential downside risks, said NMP Ong Hua Han. He said the move may unintentionally frame platform work as a viable long-term career path for younger workers. It rarely is, yet full-time platform workers find it hard to switch careers. Mr Ong drew a contrast with lower-wage employees in sectors under the Progressive Wage Model. He urged proactive support for platform workers, especially younger ones, to find and remain in a stable job. This could be through tailored programmes to address the opportunity cost that they face in upskilling and job-seeking. He also said the authorities must ensure that CPF-contributing workers are not discriminated against by platform companies. One suggestion is for operators to be transparent about how jobs are assigned, or for this to be regulated. Mr Ong asked if annual leave and medical benefits, as well as protection against harassment, might be included in future iterations of the Act. He also wanted to know if the scope of the Act is likely to be expanded to cover more platform workers such as locum nurses and if so, when. He spoke in Parliament on Tuesday (Sep 10).