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Is contract hiring also on MOM’s radar?

I welcome the Fair Consideration Framework announced by the Manpower Ministry.

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Lee King Keong

I welcome the Fair Consideration Framework announced by the Manpower Ministry.

I hope the authority will also look into contract employment agencies, which, unlike companies, engage contract staff on a project basis for clients without having to advertise jobs.

Candidates usually submit their resumes to the agencies, and these are, in turn, forwarded to clients for review and selection. How would we know of unfair practices, such as Singaporean candidates being filtered out in the initial selection done by the agencies even if a company may be looking for local candidates?

Recruitment consultants, for example, hire contract professionals, managers and executives for the oil/gas and marine shipyard industries, which Singaporeans are commonly accused of shunning.

Yet, there is a small pool of technical, specialist freelancers who always hunger for project jobs, but many, including my senior freelance associates, are baffled by the high rejection rate, unlike before, whereas many foreigners are seen to be hired.

Perhaps the authority should also set up a centralised agency to allow registration and matching of local freelancers who are available to take up contract jobs in such industries.

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hiring laws

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