Work It Podcast: Retrenched? Here’s how the new jobs support scheme can help you

The recently launched SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme aims to help those who have been retrenched with tiered monthly cash payments.

Lynn Ng, assistant chief executive of Workforce Singapore, explains how to tap into the scheme.

Here's an excerpt from the conversation:

Gerald Tan, host:
One of the things that I often face when I share about the (SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support) Scheme with our podcast guests, (they will) say: “I don't qualify because my salary is beyond that S$5,000 mark.”

But I know of some other people who said: “You know what? I feel like I've been involuntarily let go, but it was not official.”

They were maybe asked to quit, or were told of the (retrenchment), and then they were given the option to resign on their own because they said that the company is not doing well ... And then they did that, (but) they don't have that official retrenchment letter per se.

So for these groups of people, would there be a possibility that the scheme could include such cases in future or even now?

Lynn Ng, assistant chief executive of Workforce Singapore (WSG):
So Gerald has pointed out a very key implementation issue that we face as well, which is that some individuals are unable to show proof that they have been involuntarily let go.

For example, their contract was terminated, it was not renewed by the employer, even though the employer had promised that the contract would be renewed. So in these instances, we are very flexible in our implementation, even if there is no official letter.

It can also be a conversation that they have had with the HR, which they said had taken place. And if they provide us with the details of the HR or supervisor whom they have spoken with, we could do a verification with them that it was indeed the intent of the individual to stay on, but the company could not continue to provide the employment. Yes, we would accept the individual into the scheme.

So we are very flexible with it. We are fully aware that there are practical challenges and official letters are not always possible to get. But the basic requirements that we will need is some form of contact from the applicant about who we can verify the information with.