Public Sector Employees Offered Re‑employment

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Public Sector Employees Offered Re-employment

Parliamentary Sitting: 12 August 2013

Mr Chen Show Mao: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what percentage of employees in the public sector reaching employment age are offered re-employment in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively; (b) in each of those years, how many employees in the public sector are re-employed at their   last-drawn salaries while doing the same jobs; (c) of those re-employed employees who have their salaries reduced, what is the average percentage of reduction; and (d) whether the recent findings by the National Trades Union Congress on re-employment practices in the public and private sectors provide sufficient basis for the Government to revise its re-employment practices.

Written Reply (for the Prime Minister) by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Minister for Home Affairs:

The percentage of public sector employees offered re-employment has increased from 76% in 2010 to 89% for the one-and-a-half year period following the implementation of the Public Service re-employment guidelines on 1 July 2011.

Some officers preferred not to continue working. The percentage of officers who were successfully re-employed also increased from 64% to 83% of the retiring cohort across the same period.

Amongst the re-employed officers, 82% continued on the same substantive grade, with 11% of those at the same grade re-employed at their last drawn salaries. The majority had their salaries adjusted to the mid-point of their salary range, which is aligned to the Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees, released on 11 January 2011. The average salary adjustment was about 13%.

I told the House in this year’s Committee of Supply that the Public Service Division would review our re-employment guidelines. We have since announced on 29 July 2013, the changes that have taken effect from 1 August 2013. With the revised guidelines, all Division III and IV officers offered re-employment will be re-employed at the same substantive grade with their last drawn salaries. For Division I and II officers, more officers who are re-employed at the same substantive grade will continue with their last drawn salaries, and for those whose salaries are to be adjusted, the adjustment is capped at 15%. The Public Service will continue to offer fair re-employment terms to our officers that are reflective of market practice.