Workers can report abuse of Jobs Support Scheme
03 Sep 2020员工可举报滥用雇佣补贴行为
谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于8月21日刊登的吴清弟读者投函《
我们感谢吴先生的投函。雇佣补贴计划(Jobs Support Scheme,简称JSS)给予雇主的款项,
同时,为了鼓励雇主留住员工和维持工资,JSS的设计确保付给雇
如果须要采取节约成本措施,
政府知道一些雇主为了获得更多雇佣补贴而滥用JSS。
除了JSS,因为冠病疫情冲击经济而收入大幅减少的本地员工,
财政部
企业通讯司司长
林允
谦
Workers can report abuse of Jobs Support Scheme
We thank Mr Wu Qingdi for his letter (“对雇佣补贴的建议”, 21 Aug).
The Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) payouts are provided to employers as a form of cashflow and financial assistance, to help them retain their local employees. Without this support, some employers may have to shut down, and employees would lose their jobs. In this crisis, the fates of businesses and workers are inextricably linked. If businesses stay afloat, jobs can be preserved.
At the same time, to encourage employers to retain workers and maintain wages, the JSS is designed such that the payouts are based on a percentage of wages paid. This means that employers are required to continue to pay their employees in order to continue to receive the JSS payouts. Employers who cut their employees’ wages, put them on no-pay-leave during this period, or retrench workers, will receive correspondingly lower JSS payouts.
If cost-saving measures are necessary, employers are reminded to implement these responsibly and fairly with reasonable support to employees. In this difficult time, both employees and employers have to make some sacrifices to save jobs wherever possible, taking reference from the Advisory on Salary and Leave Arrangements and the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment. Employers undertaking cost-saving measures should also allow their employees to seek additional temporary employment to boost their incomes. On its part, the Government provides the JSS payouts to support jobs and workers, and other measures (including property tax rebates, rental relief, financing schemes) to help businesses with other costs and cashflow. We recognise that in times of crisis, all parties are suffering some pain.
The Government is aware of possible abuses by employers in order to obtain higher JSS payouts. We take a serious view on any attempt to abuse the scheme. Employers must ensure that mandatory CPF contributions made for their employees are correct, based on actual wages paid. Employees who would like to report to IRAS any malpractices or potential abuses of the JSS may do so at https://go.gov.sg/jssreport. The penalties for any attempt to abuse the JSS are severe, and offenders may face up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine.
In addition to the JSS, local employees, who have experienced significant income loss as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, can apply for the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG). The CSG has been extended to December 2020, and provides additional relief and assistance to Singaporeans during this difficult time.
Lim Yuin Chien
Director (Corporate Communications)
Ministry of Finance