ALL employees, regardless of salary, will be covered for work injuries in a proposed amendment to the Workmen's Compensation Act introduced in Parliament yesterday.
About one million more employees, including white collar workers, are expected to gain under the changes, first set out in a public consultation paper by the Ministry of Manpower in May this year.
Currently, the Act covers all manual workers, and non-manual workers earning $1,600 or less a month.
The Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill will, however, still exclude members of the uniformed services and domestic workers.
The ministry is also proposing to raise the maximum payout levels for those killed on the job, from $111,000 to $140,000, and for those suffering permanent disability, from $147,000 to $180,000.
Other new Bills tabled yesterday:
An amendment to the Human Organ Transplant Act such that Muslims, like other Singaporeans, will be deemed to have consented to having their organs harvested when they die - unless they opt out.
Muslims are now not covered by the Act, introduced in 1987, as it was deemed contrary to their beliefs. They had to opt in to be donors. An edict from Muslim leaders in July declared organ donation a life-saving gesture in line with Islamic teachings.
Proposed amendments to the Housing and Development Bill.
It paves the way for the Housing Board's new upgrading scheme, the Home Improvement Programme.
This programme replaces the more extensive Main Upgrading Programme and focuses on more practical changes within each flat, like fixing spalling concrete in ceilings and replacing toilets.
The Bill seeks to allow the HDB to conduct polling for the programme on a block basis - rather than the current precinct basis. It also seeks to recover co-payments from home owners according to specific cost-sharing ratios.
The Customs (Amendment) Bill, which reclassifies existing customs offences.
The Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) No. 2 Bill, which empowers such authorities as the National Environment Agency and the Land Transport Authority to impose penalties for late payment of fees.
