Introduction
As reported in the Straits Times, companies faced with manpower crunch are offering bonuses, medical benefits and even supermarket vouchers to attract and retain part workers. Also, as stated in the media, part-timers work less than 35 hours a week and are entitled to rest days, overtime pay and pro-rated leave. Question is can part-timers work overtime, hence, work more than 35 hours in a week?
From the above, it is no doubt that employers need to engage part-timers to supplement full-time employees. This is inevitable as the government has announced that it will be tightening the local to foreign work permit quota. The question arises what are the governing statutory laws in the engagement of part-timers. Should the part-timer be engaged under a contract of service or contract for service? Also, what is the difference between engaging a part-timer and casual labour; and must they be under a regular or fixed employment contract.
What about engaging part-timers who are statutory employees (non-executive and Professionals, Managers and Executives)? What are the applicable laws, and how should the employment contract be drafted? Would the amendments to the Employment Act with effect on 1 April 2019 have any bearing on the different types of part-timers, i.e. non-executive and PMEs?
Failing to adhere to the Employment (Part-time Employees) Regulations and without proper administration can put an employer in a vulnerable position and subject to the risk of unlawful practices, lawsuits and litigations which may cause a great deal of stress, lowered productivity and higher turnover. The maximum composition amount that may be imposed for any offence under the Employment Act has also been increased from $1,000 to $5,000.
At the end of this workshop, delegates can be assured that they will be more competent in their understanding of the Part-time Employment and its practical applications.
Learning Objectives
- Know the differences between the different types of statutory law part-time employee, i.e. non-executive and PMEs.
- Know the terms and conditions of employment governing part-time employees.
- Comprehensive understanding of the Employment (Part-Time Employee) Regulations which are a must know for all HR practitioners in-charge of part-time and casual labours.
- Know the entitlement for part-time employees under the Child Development Co-Savings Act.
- Understand the cost impact of engaging part-time employees versus full time employees.
- Know the amendments to the Employment Act which took effect on 1 April 2019 and its applications on part-time employees.
- Know the application to day-to-day dealings at the workplace and in particular to HR policies and procedures, employment contracts, Collective Agreement etc.
- Case study on a flexible work arrangement involving part-time employees.
Course Outline
A competent HR practitioner must have the skills and knowledge in the following:
1. Coverage of Employment (Part-time Employees) Regulations
- Definition of the statutory employee, i.e. non-executive versus Professional, Managers and Executives
- Definition of a part-time employee
- Definition of casual labour
- Definition of temporary, casual labour and fixed-term, on-loan employees and independent contractor
- Definition of workman
- Definition of employer
- Contract of service versus contract for service
- Course of employment
- Continuous and non-continuous employment
2. Contract of employment
- Essential clauses in an part-time versus casual labour employment contract
- Legal requirements of part-time and casual labour employment contract
- Terms and conditions of part-time and casual labour employment contract
- Conditions versus warranties
3. Part-time work
- Job-share-where a full- time job is divided into two-part jobs
- Evening or week end work
- Half day work versus full day work but with same working hours
- Continuous of service versus non-continuous of service (length of service of employment)
4. Termination of part-time employment contract
- Contractual termination of a statutory part-time employee
- Contractual termination of common law part-time employee
- Differences between dismissal with notice and without notice
- When is a contract deemed to be broken between employer and part-time employee?
- Misconduct of statutory part-time employee versus common law part-time employee
- Suspension and Inquiry to the dismissal of part-time employees
- Misconduct, negligence and breach of company rules and regulations of part-time employees
- Compensation/Reinstatement for wrongful and unfair dismissal
4. Payment of Salary
- Definition of salary, i.e. basic rate of pay and gross rate of pay
- Time of payment
- Payment on dismissal
- Authorised deduction of salary
- Recovery of advances and loans
5. Terms and conditions for Part-time employment
- Pro-ration of statutory and non-statutory benefits
- What kind of leave can be encashed and encashment calculation
- Statutory terms of employment
- What is stipulated working hours
- Work week/shift patterns
- Definition of overtime/time-off
- Rates of pay for overtime, off day, rest day, training and public holiday
- Entitlement for public holidays for statutory and common law part-time employees
- Rate of pay for a public holiday
- A public holiday falling on a working day, rest day and off day for shift and non-shift work
- Recognition of medical certificate from private versus government clinic doctors in and outside Singapore
- Recognition of medical certificate for cosmetic purposed.
- Dismissal while on hospitalisation leave
- Eligibility of public holidays for General Election and Presidential Election
- Public Holidays Act
- Retrenchment and retirement benefits
- Annual leave, no pay leave, etc
- AWS, bonuses, commission and incentive schemes
- Scope and coverage under the collective agreement, i.e. if the company is unionised.
6. Maternity, Paternity and Childcare leave for Part-Time employees
- Differences between entitlement under the Employment Act and Children Co-Savings Development Act
- Coverage of employees
- Payment for maternity leave, paternity leave and childcare leave
- Differences between dismissal, termination and summary dismissal
- Prohibition of dismissal during maternity leave
- Expiry of fixed term contract while pregnant or during confinement
7. Claims, Complaints and Offences
- Time bar to complaints
- Back payment for claims
- Penalties for the offence of failure to pay salaries
- Maximum composition amount for that may be imposed for any offence
- The company commits an offence and presumption clause on Directors of companies
8. Case study on flexible work arrangement
- Types of work week arrangement for part-time employees
- Impact on manpower headcount on part-time employees
- Achievable headcount for part-time employees
- The cost impact on part-time employees
- Restructuring and variation of the employment contract to accommodate changes from full-time to part-time employment.
- Salary and compensation equalisation to accommodate the change from full-time to part-time employment.
9. Others
- Definition of gross and basic pay
- Fixed allowances versus flexible allowances
- CPF contribution and personal taxation
- Treatment of foreigner, Singapore Permanent Resident and Singapore citizen
Methodologies
Lecture and case study.
Who Should Attend
Human Resource practitioner, business owners, line managers and executives who are in-charge of part-time employees and casual labours.
Workshop Registration
Please visit this page to register.
