Business owners in S'pore asked to declare onsite manpower details: MTI
SINGAPORE – Business owners have been asked by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to update their onsite staff numbers.
This is to enable the Government to monitor the number of people working outside as Singapore works to choke the spread of Covid-19 during its current period of heightened alert.
An MTI spokesman told The Straits Times on Saturday (May 22) this practice was not new and had been put in place since last year as Singapore progressively reopened its economy to allow more firms to return to their workplaces.
This requirement was suspended, last month, when Singapore shifted away from working from home as a default. But firms were told on Friday they had to do so again.
“This will help lower Covid-19 transmission risks by reducing workplace interactions.”
She added the firms can update these onsite manpower numbers on the Government’s gobusiness online portal.
Singapore is under phase 2 of heightened alert until June 13.
Besides working from home as the default, during this period, there are also restrictions on movements and social gatherings.
Business owners told ST they had received an email about MTI’s requirements on Friday from Postman.gov.sg, the Government’s mass notifications tool.
Some however were not sure of the legitimacy of the email, and had thought the message was a scam.
MTI clarified this tool is used to send out mass communications to the public quickly and effectively.
Members of the public can refer to the website for more details, it added.
Earlier this month, the Traffic Police had clarified that a Notice of Traffic Offence it had issued was genuine, after an online post claimed it was a scam.
In addition to making working from home the default, employers should also stagger the start times of employees who need to return to the workplace, and implement flexible working hours.
Social gatherings at the workplace are also not allowed.
Singapore on Saturday reported 29 new Covid-19 cases, including 22 in the community.
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