First law: 1953.
Current law: 1985, as amended in 1991.
Type of program: Provident fund system. Lump-sum benefits and annuity payments.
Exchange rate: U.S. $1.00 equals $1.64 Singapore dollars (S$).
Employed persons earning more than S$50 a month. Also some self-employed workers.
Exclusions: Members of approved equivalent private plans.
Special pension system for public employees.
Insured person: No contribution if monthly earnings are less than S$200; contribution of 5% plus 1/3 of amount over S$200 if monthly earnings are between S$200 and S$363; contribution of 20% if monthly earnings are over S$363. Lower contribution rates for workers age 55 or older.
Employer: No contribution if earnings below S$50 a month. If S$50 or over, contributions are 10% of monthly earnings. Lower contribution rates for employees age 55 or older.
Government: None.
Old-age benefit: Age 55.
Disability benefit: Permanent incapacity for work.
Survivor benefit: Nomination as beneficiary by insured.
Old-age benefit: Lump sum equal to total employee and employer contributions, plus at least 2.5% compound interest (actual rate is linked to average commercial savings and fixed deposit rates adjusted every January 1 and July 1), less amount set aside for medical contingencies (see Medical Care).
In addition, at age 55 members must leave S$60,000 (as of July 1999) in the retirement account (part in a prescribed amount of cash, the remainder can be pledged property) to ensure continued income from age 62.
Disability benefit: Lump sum equal to total employee and employer contributions, plus at least 2.5% compound interest (actual rate is linked to average commercial savings and fixed deposit rates, adjusted every January 1 and July 1), less amount set aside for medical contingencies (see Medical Care).
Survivor benefit: Lump sum equal to total employee and employer contributions, plus at least 2.5% compound interest (actual rate is linked to average commercial savings and fixed deposit rates, adjusted every January 1 and July 1), less amount set aside for medical contingencies (see Medical Care). Payable to nominated survivors or legal heirs.
Ministry of Manpower, general supervision.
Central Provident Fund, custody of fund and administration of program; managed by tripartite board and Chairman.First laws: 1968 (employer liability), 1983 (provident fund).
Current laws: 1996 (employer liability), 1983 (provident fund).
Type of program: Multiple employer liability (cash sickness and maternity benefits), provident fund (medical care), and social assistance (medical care) systems.
Cash benefits (employer liability): All workers.
Medical care (provident fund): Employed persons and some self-employed workers.
Insured person: Cash benefits (employer liability): None.
Medical care (provident fund): Employed persons: 3%-4% (depending on age) of monthly salary set aside for Medisave account to cover costs of hospitalization and medical expenses. Maximum S$180-S$240 per month. Self-employed: Annual contribution of 6%-8% (depending on age) of annual net income. Maximum S$4,320-S$5,760 per year.
Employer: Cash benefits (employer liability): Whole cost.
Medical care (provident fund): 3%-4% (depending on employee's age) of employee's monthly salary set aside for employee's Medisave account. Maximum S$180-S$240 per month.
Government: Provident fund: No fixed amount, workers are subsidized when using certain classes of hospital wards.
Cash sickness and maternity benefits: Employer liability-Sickness benefit: At least 6 months' employment.
Maternity benefit: at least 180 days employment immediately preceding confinement (limited to first two children).
Medical benefits: Provident fund: Holders of Medisave account.
Persons over age 55 required to maintain balance of S$17,000 as of July 1999 (increasing by S$2000 annually until reaching S$25,000 in July 2003) in Medisave account for future hospitalization costs.
Sickness benefit: Employer liability: 14 days of paid sick leave a year, or up to 60 days if worker hospitalized.
Maternity benefit: Employer liability: 100% of wages for up to 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after confinement.
Medical benefits: Outpatient treatment and inpatient hospital care, including day-surgery treatment, in government hospitals, and prescribed medicines. Costs deducted from balance in Medisave account for approved treatments.
Medical benefits for dependents: Same as for family head.
Employer liability: Ministry of Manpower, general supervision and enforcement.
Provident fund: Central Provident Fund, administration of program.
Ministry of Health, provision of medical services through government hospitals.
First law: 1933.
Current law: 1990.
Type of program: Employer liability/compulsory insurance with private carrier.
All manual labor, except domestic servants, casual employees, and family labor; salaried employees earning less than S$1,600 a month.
Special program available for the police.
Insured person: None.
Employer: Whole cost, through direct provision of benefits or insurance premiums.
Government: None.
Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Temporary disability benefit: 100% of earnings during first 14 days (additional 60 days if hospitalized); 2/3 of monthly earnings thereafter. Payable from 1st day of incapacity for a maximum of 1 year.
Permanent disability benefit: Lump sum of 6 to 12 years' earnings (according to age), if totally disabled. Maximum, S$147,000.
Minimum, S$49,000.
Constant-attendance supplement: 25% of grant.
Partial disability: Lump sum in proportion to degree of incapacity, or according to schedule in law for specified injuries.
Medical benefits: Necessary medical treatment, hospitalization, appliances, and medicines. May be provided in government facility.
Survivor benefit: Lump sum of 4 to 9 years' earnings, according to age of deceased. Maximum, S$111,000. Minimum, S$37,000.
Payable to eligible dependents.
Ministry of Manpower, general supervision.
Commissioner for Labor, enforcement of law, approval of agreements between employers and claimants, and allocation of survivor grants.