EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS

Mr Cheo Chai Chen asked the Minister for Labour whether he will prohibit employers from employing students who are below 16 years old except where they have obtained consent from their parents and school principals.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Most employers in Singapore do not employ workers below the age of 16. A minority such as fast food restaurants and retailers are known to have employed some school children during their school vacation. Such vacation work keeps students occupied in meaningful activities and provides them with a source of supplementary income. School children working during the school term are a small minority and they are mostly working during weekends or on public holidays. Some employers do require consent either in writing or verbally from underaged workers' parents notwithstanding that there is no legal requirement for them to do so. For example, Burger King, a fast food establishment, requires written parental consent.

The employment of persons who are below the age of 16, including school children, is governed by the Employment Act and the Employment of Children and Young Persons Regulations. There are special provisions to protect such young workers. For example, the Regulations stipulate that when a young person aged between 14 and less than 16 years is attending school, the period of work plus the period of school attendance shall not in aggregate exceed seven hours in any one day. Young persons are also not allowed to work in any occupation or place of work or under working conditions that are likely to expose them to safety or health hazards.

Given the safeguards in our law and the fact that employers generally do obtain parental consent, my Ministry is of the view that there is no need to disallow employers from employing school children below the age of 16 unless the consent of their parents and school principals has been sought.