RE-EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION

RE-EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION

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(Coverage of employees in uniformed services): **

28.

Mrs Josephine Teo asked the Minister for Manpower if the proposed re-employment legislation is intended to cover employees in the uniformed services.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Currently, employees in the uniformed services are exempted from the Retirement Age Act due to the physical demands and hazardous nature of the jobs. Despite this exemption, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has selectively offered re-employment to some of their retiring employees from the uniformed services.

The Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS) Departments have the discretion to re-employ staff beyond the retirement age, subject to criteria such as health and fitness, experience and expertise, as well as performance and conduct. Officers may be re-employed in their current or a different uniformed job, or even re-deployed to a civilian job; either on contract under new terms and conditions or an extension under existing terms and conditions. MHA is currently reviewing its re-employment policy to enable more retiring officers to be re-employed as long as they are physically able to continue in the job, have demonstrated good performance and are willing to continue working.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is retaining its policy of keeping the SAF young as timely leadership renewal is key if we want to keep the SAF dynamic, vigorous and forward looking. However, as is the case currently, officers could be re-employed on a contract basis to fill specific organisational vacancies. Retired officers can also apply for non-military jobs in MINDEF under the Defence Executive Officer (DXO) scheme and may be hired if found suitable by the organisation. Warrant Officers and Specialists retire at a later age and may also be re-employed as DXOs upon retirement.