IMPACT OF SARS ON EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE PRACTICES

The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Ho Geok Choo -

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) on employment relations in the workplace vis-a-vis terms and conditions of service such as insurance, deployment, compensation, and work segregation; (b) whether the fear of SARS as well as the drop in business have contributed to or aggravated the unemployment situation in the retail, hotel, hospital and service sectors; (c) what plans are in place to deal with any tension and hostility related to SARS at the workplace, arising from employee-employer relationships and peer to peer relationships; and (d) how many Singaporeans are making working trips to SARS infected countries and what are the Ministry's guidelines to employers and employees in this special situation.

Dr Ong Chit Chung: Question No. 15, Sir.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, the outbreak of SARS has affected our economy severely and, in particular, businesses in the tourism, hospitality and associated sectors. This will have an adverse impact on our employment situation. In response to this unprecedented situation, many companies have had to make quick adjustments to their employment terms and practices, such as getting their employees to take annual leave, implementing shorter work weeks, and re-deploying staff to optimise the use of manpower resources. While these changes will impose a strain on employment relationship, I am confident and also pleased to inform the House that there have been no major labour-management relations problems at the workplace since the onset of the SARS outbreak.

Notwithstanding this, there have been enquiries and assistance sought as to how to manage the leave of absence of employees arising from SARS and how this leave of absence should be dealt with. In this regard, the Ministry, in consultation with the Singapore Business Federation, the Singapore National Employers Federation and the NTUC had, on 2nd April 2003, issued a set of tripartite guidelines on leave of absence relating to SARS for implementation by employers. The guidelines cover salary payment for leave of absence in various situations. Feedback received from employers and employees on the implementation of the guidelines is that the guidelines have been useful in helping them to deal with the employment issues relating to the SARS outbreak.

On other issues such as staff deployment, segregation, insurance and compensation, the Singapore Business Federation, in consultation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Health, my Ministry, the Singapore National Employers Federation and NTUC had also, on 16th April 2003, released a set of advisories and Frequently Asked Questions for employers on how such issues at the workplace could be appropriately dealt with.

In these advisories, employers are advised to explain to their employees the need to cover the duties of those who have been affected by SARS so that business operations will not be disrupted. On the other hand, employers should also provide training and take precautionary measures to safeguard the safety and health of workers concerned.

Sir, as mentioned earlier, the outbreak of SARS has badly affected the hotels, airlines, travel agencies, restaurants and retail businesses. Hence, we expect employment in these sectors to be adversely affected as well. To deal with this situation, my Ministry, together with the Singapore Business Federation, the Singapore National Employers Federation and NTUC, had jointly announced measures on 15th April 2003 to help companies in these sectors to reduce cost and to preserve jobs. These measures include getting employees to take leave, implementing shorter work week, temporary lay-offs and/or sending workers for skills training and upgrading under the training programmes provided by my Ministry and several other such agencies. Where such measures are not sufficient to sustain business survival or preserve jobs, companies may also consider temporary wage cut in consultation with their unions and workers. To further minimise job losses in these sectors, the Government had also announced on 17th April a package of relief measures to reduce business costs.

Sir, while there could be some problems and difficulties affecting employer-employee relationship, I am confident that employers, trade unions and workers will rally together and work out amicable solutions in the spirit of labour-management cooperation.

On the question on how many Singaporeans have been sent on working trips to SARS-affected areas, we do not have the statistics as there is no requirement for companies to provide us with this information. However, the Ministry of Health and my Ministry had, through our advisories, strongly advised employers to defer sending their employees to these areas unless the working trips are absolutely necessary.

Sir, with our strong tripartite cooperation and support among the social partners, I am confident that we will be able to overcome the disruptions caused by the SARS outbreak.