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Source:
www.gov.sg |
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MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE PROPOSES WORKFARE PACKAGE
OF UP TO $1 BILLION FOR LOW WAGE WORKERS |
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Multi-ministry Committee recommends wide-ranging
assistance to help low wage Singaporean workers and households |
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The Ministerial Committee on Low Wage
Workers has recommended a package of Workfare measures costing up to $1
billion to help low wage workers. |
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The proposed measures will incentivise work
and encourage low wage workers to take on jobs, upgrade their skills and
stay employed. |
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It also focuses on children of low wage
workers to ensure that the next generation has the skills and know-how
to create hope for a better future. |
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A holistic approach to helping low wage
workers |
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To ensure that low wage workers continue to
benefit from our economic progress, the Committee recommends a holistic
package of sustainable strategies, based on ¡°Workfare¡±. |
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The desired outcome is for all who can work
to find meaningful jobs and earn adequate wages to support themselves
and their children. They should be able to own their homes, educate
their children, and put aside enough for their medical and retirement
needs. |
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The Committee¡¯s recommendations are clustered
under six broad spokes within the Workfare framework. These are: |
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(i) Rewarding Work
(ii) Social Support to Enable Work
(iii) Higher Skills for Better Jobs
(iv) Expand Job Opportunities
(v) Creating Hope for the Future
(vi) Sharing in the Nation¡¯s Progress |
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Rewarding Work |
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Two key proposals to reward work are the new
Workfare Bonus Scheme and the CPF Housing Grant Scheme that will help 300,000
Singaporeans who satisfy work requirements meet daily expenses and own homes. |
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• Workfare Bonus Scheme |
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To incentivise work, the Committee
recommended that the Government reward older, low income workers with a
Workfare Bonus if there are budget surpluses. In line with the objective
of Workfare, these low wage workers must satisfy a minimum period of
work to qualify for the Workfare Bonus. |
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The scheme primarily targets those within
the lowest 20% of income earners who earn $1,200 per month or less. |
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There are potentially 300,000 beneficiaries
and about 200,000 of them would have fulfilled the minimum work period
within the last six months. |
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The Committee recommends that those in
the lowest 10% should be given more help. If surpluses allow, we
recommend for this group earning $900 or less a month, a Workfare
bonus capped at the equivalent of one month¡¯s salary. |
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Correspondingly, those earning more than
$900 to $1200 (lowest 20% of income earners) per month could receive
a bonus capped at half a month¡¯s salary. |
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To help low wage workers build up their
savings to take care of their longer-term needs, the Committee also
recommended that 10% of the bonus be credited into the workers¡¯
Medisave Account for their healthcare needs. |
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• Housing Grants for First Time
Buyers |
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To help low wage workers own homes as a
tangible reward for their efforts, the Committee recommended that
the Government assist low income families with a new CPF housing
grant to help purchase their first HDB flat. In line with the
objective of Workfare, this grant is contingent on a period of
employment. |
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More..... |
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Source:
www.gov.sg Press Release 12 Jan 2006 |
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FrontPage Edition: Thu 12 Jan 2006
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