Jury's still out on unemployment benefits for Singapore PMEs

Tessa Oh

Published Thu, Feb 3, 2022 · 05:50 AM

Singapore

MOST of the recommendations by a taskforce on professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) are expected to be adopted as early as Budget 2022. But labour experts' opinions are split on the feasibility of one of them: unemployment benefits.

Some said they could see some form of unemployment benefits introduced in Budget 2022, as the need for such a scheme has grown more pressing due to the prevailing economic uncertainty.

But other observers believe such a policy is unlikely due to longstanding concerns that institutionalised unemployment benefits may compromise work ethic.

Last October, a taskforce comprising representatives from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the …