More and more Singapore residents who are laid off and seeking for new employment opportunities are receiving help and assistance from government initiative. In a press release issued by the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation, about 70 percent locals have successfully found new jobs with the aid of the agency within six months after they were retrenched.

First set up in 2016, the taskforce is a government agency that aims to provide timely and effective assistance to retrenched individuals in Singapore. In its first report on its work, the agency stated that it had reached out to all retrenched workers whose contact details were available so they can provide information on employment facilitation.

In order to help these workers secure better job opportunities, the taskforce plans to continue educate and encourage companies to conduct responsible retrenchment practices. While on its side, the taskforce will improve their outreach and assistance to more retrenched locals, said the taskforce chairman and chief executive officer of Workforce Singapore, Tan Choon Shian.

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A total of 9,120 Singapore residents were retrenched from 1,247 companies last year. The majority of companies that had retrenchment exercises (about 90 per cent) paid retrenchment benefits to eligible Singaporean employees last year. Among the remaining 10 percent, one key reason that benefits were not paid was because of the company’s financial constraints, Today Online reports.

The agency said that about one in four people contacted by the taskforce took up the offer of employment assistance, whole those who were not willing to do so gave reasons such as they wanted to find employment on their own, or wanted to take a break from work.

Among the assistances delivered by the taskforce include giving briefings at the retrenching companies’ premises on the range of employment facilitation and career coaching help available, matching of retrenched individuals with employers, and linking retrenched individuals to networking and job fairs. The taskforce also provides further assistance through career matchmaking services at career centres, where retrenched individuals may sign up for workshops, receive job referrals and get career coaching.

Mr Tan noted that mandatory retrenchment notifications, which took effect from Jan 1 last year, had given the agency “timelier and more complete information on retrenchments to help affected locals find new jobs”. Under the new policy, employers who hire at least 10 people are required to notify the Ministry of Manpower if five or more of their employees are retrenched within any six-month period.

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