Reports of Irresponsible and Unfair Retrenchment, and Support for Affected Employees

Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Manpower in light of recent reports on layoffs by various companies (a) whether the Ministry has received any reports of irresponsible and unfair retrenchment as defined under the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment; and (b) how is the Ministry supporting these retrenched employees.

Dr Tan See Leng: For the period of January to June 2024, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) has received a small number of complaints of employers not abiding by the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment. TAFEP has engaged all the employers and did not find evidence of irresponsible or unfair retrenchment.

On the Ministry’s support for the retrenched employees, the Member may wish to refer to our comprehensive response provided during the 15 October 2024 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Protocols and Enforcement Measures for Oversight of Retrenchments", Official Report, 15 October 2024, Vol 95, Issue 143, Oral Answers to Questions section.]

In particular, the Government has worked closely with our tripartite partners to develop an ecosystem that supports workers on every step of their career journey. This includes: (a) helping workers build career resilience through picking up industry-relevant skillsets; (b) assisting affected workers through employment facilitation and career coaching; and (c) the upcoming SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, which will further help involuntarily unemployed persons to bounce back.