Better Support for Smaller Enterprises in Hiring Singaporeans with Special Needs
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Don Wee’s inquiry on enhancing incentives for small enterprises to hire Singaporeans with special needs and how these measures are evaluated. Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli B M M highlighted existing support such as the Open Door Programme’s Job Redesign Grant, the Enabling Employment Credit, and the Place-and-Train programme. He also noted the launch of the first Enabling Business Hub at Jurong and targeted engagements with small and medium enterprises through business federations and private sector partnerships. The Ministry evaluates these efforts using the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey to monitor the employment rate of persons with disabilities annually. The Government aims to raise this employment rate from 32.7% in 2022/2023 to an aspirational target of 40% by 2030.
Transcript
27 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Ministry can consider further enhancements in collaboration with SG Enable to better incentivize and support smaller enterprises in hiring Singaporeans with special needs, beyond the existing schemes; and (b) how will the Ministry evaluate the effectiveness of these measures.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Government has been working with SG Enable to encourage and support employers to hire Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which make up 99% of all enterprises in Singapore.
All employers can tap on the range of support available. Under the Open Door Programme (ODP) that SG Enable administers, PwDs and employers receive up to one year of job matching and customised employment support from trained job coaches. Employers can tap on the ODP Job Redesign Grant, which supports up to 90% of costs incurred, capped at $20,000 per PwD, to redesign the job, purchase new equipment or modify the workplace to be more conducive for their employees with disabilities.
The Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), which was last enhanced in 2023, provides up to 20% wage support for all employers hiring local PwDs earning below $4,000 per month, capped at $400. In addition, employers who hire PwDs who have not been working for at least six months will receive an additional 20% of wage support, capped at $400 per employee, for the first nine months of employment. Under the Place-and-Train (PnT) programme, employers of PwDs receive up to 90% wage support and 90% course fee subsidies in the first year of hiring.
In December 2023, SG Enable launched the first Enabling Business Hub at Jurong (EBH@Jurong), partnering employers, training providers and social service agencies, to bring job opportunities in the logistics sector closer to PwDs in the West, as well as support inclusive employers in the West region.
In addition, SG Enable has targeted engagements with SMEs through partners, such as the Singapore Business Federation, SME Centres, Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations. Under "The Unlimited" initiative, the United Overseas Bank acts as the private sector catalyst for inclusive hiring, engaging companies to generate interest in the hiring of PwDs.
We track the employment rate for PwDs on an annual basis via the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey. We aim to increase the employment rate of PwDs from 32.7% in 2022/2023 to the aspirational target of 40% by 2030.