FWAs provide more ‘flexibility and sustainability’ than mandatory caregiver leave: Minister Teo

Whereas having such necessary leaves “could also be well-intentioned”, Minister Teo famous that “we should be conscious that it may have the impact of accelerating prices to employers, and impression the employability of working caregivers in the long run.”

Singapore’s Manpower Minister, Josephine Teo has emphasised the importance of flexible work arrangements (FWA) for caregivers right this moment, as in comparison with devoted caregiver leaves.

In a parliamentary query yesterday (8 March), MP Christopher de Souza had requested if necessary caregiver and bereavement leaves could possibly be given for caregivers when their aged mother and father or grandparents are “in a terminal state of affairs with just a few weeks or months left to stay.”

In a written response, Minister Teo shared that whereas having such necessary leaves “could also be well-intentioned”, “we should be conscious that it may have the impact of accelerating prices to employers, and impression the employability of working caregivers in the long run.”

She defined: “Whereas some caregivers require time-off to care for his or her aged mother and father or grandparents, many regard FWAs as a extra sustainable technique of assist.

“In MOH’s in depth focus group discussions in 2018, working caregivers offered suggestions that FWAs had been most well-liked to caregiving depart, because of better flexibility and sustainability in assembly their caregiving wants.”

In that vein, she famous that the tripartite companions have continued to make progress to encourage a wider adoption of FWAs. At present, greater than 9 in 10 staff, together with caregivers, have entry to FWAs – up from greater than eight in 10 just a few years in the past.

“We are going to do extra to entrench the apply of FWAs that has develop into extra prevalent in the course of the pandemic.”

Photograph / 123RF

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