NTUC reiterates call for flexible work arrangements and paid caregiving leave for workers

SINGAPORE - The labour movement has reiterated its call for paid caregiving leave to be made mandatory and for employers to provide more flexibility in work arrangements, to support workers shouldering caregiving responsibilities.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said on Wednesday that this will help caregivers continue to work and take care of their loved ones.

These were some of the recommendations it made following its year-long public engagement exercise called #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations.

When it polled about 1,000 people on what would help them most in managing work and caregiving responsibilities, flexi-work arrangements were preferred by 85 per cent of respondents, followed by paid leave for caregiving (64 per cent), and financial support such as medical or health insurance, or subsidies (57 per cent).

NTUC conducted the survey in January and February among workers and job seekers with caregiving responsibilities.

Some of the challenges respondents cited were having to take unpaid time off from work, having difficulty concentrating, and feeling isolated.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said on Wednesday that as more workers face mounting caregiving responsibilities, they need to be assured that they can fulfil both their work and caregiving responsibilities. 

The measures NTUC recommends will “retain a worker segment that may otherwise leave employment to fulfil their caregiving responsibilities”, he said at an NTUC Health Caregiver Support Group event in Taman Jurong.

Singapore’s population is ageing rapidly and the Government

expects nearly one in four Singaporeans to be aged 65 and above by 2030.

Shrinking family sizes also mean there will be fewer family members to share caregiving duties in the future. 

Data from the Department of Statistics showed that there will be only 2.4 working-age citizens for every senior citizen by 2030, down from 3.3 in 2022.

NTUC therefore suggested that employers could provide enough flexibility in work arrangements to cater to the needs of different caregivers.

It also recommended that jobs be redesigned and job tasks split up, so workers can complete certain tasks remotely.

Job advertisements should also state details on flexible working arrangements to allow job seekers to make an informed decision on which job they want to apply for.

Earlier in September, a tripartite workgroup was formed

to develop guidelines that employers can follow to implement flexible working arrangements.

The guidelines are expected to be introduced in 2024.

Ms Babara Seet, 59, a full-time caregiver to her mother who has dementia, said it will be helpful to have flexibility in the timing and the number of days a caregiver needs to go into the office to work.

For instance, if an employee is supposed to go to the office on Monday but his loved one needs more help on that day, then the employee should have the flexibility to go to the office another day, she said.

But Mr Ang Yuit, vice-president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said any implementation of flexible working arrangements will have to be considered carefully.

If company policies are too flexible, companies may find it better to outsource certain job functions overseas, he said.

“Too rigid, the local workforce does not want to work,” he added.

Another key recommendation by NTUC was for paid caregiving leave to be made mandatory so all workers will have some days off to care for elderly family members and to tend to unexpected care needs.

NTUC said the definition of family members should be broad enough to cover relations by blood, marriage or adoption.

The leave provisions should also be flexible enough to cover chronic illnesses and physical and mental conditions.

Currently, paid caregiving leave is not compulsory, but more employers are recognising the need for such days off.

The proportion of employers offering paid family care leave – including for elderly parents and parents-in-law – doubled from 15 per cent in 2012 to 30 per cent in 2022, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Mr Ang noted that paid caregiving leave will be an additional cost for businesses.

“We need to be mindful about adding costs to the manpower component of a business,” he said, adding that manpower costs in Singapore are already the most expensive in the region.

Other support measures that NTUC recommended include extending employee support schemes such as medical and insurance coverage to elderly family members.

NTUC also urged providers of care services, as well as other stakeholders, to make eldercare services more affordable and accessible, to alleviate the financial and mental load of caregivers.

Ms Seet suggested that caregiving support be extended to employees who have to care for younger family members who may have conditions such as young onset dementia.

In a statement on Wednesday night, MOM said that NTUC’s findings “are consistent with past feedback that the Government has received on caregiving”.

Good progress has been made in raising the prevalence of flexi-work arrangements, said the ministry. From 2014 to 2022, the proportion of employers who offered at least one flexi-work arrangement on a sustained basis rose from 47 per cent to 71 per cent.

MOM said that employers, unions and the Government will continue to encourage and equip businesses to adopt best practices.

The ministry said: “It is important that any enhancements to support for working caregivers be sustainable, taking into account business needs and constraints amid inflationary environments, as well as other cost structures due to geopolitical uncertainties and potential supply chain disruptions.

“The Government will take NTUC’s feedback into consideration.”