Written Answer to PQ on Early Intervention for Retrenched Workers

NOTICE PAPER NO. 928 OF 2026 FOR THE SITTING ON 07 JULY 2026
QUESTION NO. 1647 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Cassandra Lee

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what proportion of retrenched workers in the first quarter of 2026 were connected to employment facilitation, career coaching or training support before their last day of work; and (b) whether the Ministry has assessed the effectiveness of earlier intervention in improving re-employment outcomes.

Answer:

The Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation (“Taskforce”) actively reaches out to all retrenched local employees. In 2025, 77% of Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications (MRNs) were submitted at least seven days ahead of the employee's last working day and 73% of MRNs were submitted at least two weeks ahead. Of all companies who submitted MRNs before the retrenched employee’s last working day, 74% provided employment facilitation to affected employees either through the Taskforce's employment facilitation services, their own channels such as private outplacement firms or a combination of both.

2. Among workers retrenched between January and July 2025 who took up the Taskforce's assistance before their last day of employment, about two-thirds re-entered employment within 6 months, above the median six-month re-entry rate for retrenched residents in 2025.