MOM lays out rules for foreign workers going back to work

Workers will have time slots reserved for running errands during rest days.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Inter-Agency Task Force (ITF) are working with all dormitory operators, employers, and migrant workers in preparing to allow workers to resume work once their dormitory is cleared of COVID-19 infections, an announcement revealed.

ITF will begin by announcing the first batch of cleared blocks/dormitories next week. A ‘cleared dormitory’ means that residents in those blocks are either workers who had COVID-19 infection, have recovered, or have been tested negative.

Residents in a cleared block or dormitory will have to remain within their block until the following additional steps are completed.

As for the dormitory operators, they are required to complete a checklist to: provide MOM with an up-to-date register of all residents housed in the dormitory, demonstrate ability to implement tight entry and exit controls, show that facility and housing arrangements limit inter-mixing, set aside sick bay beds and isolation facilities to facilitate quick containment if there is an infection and work with employers to plan staggered pick-up and drop-off times.

Meanwhile, employers are tasked to confirm or update the addresses for each migrant worker in the Online Foreign Worker Address Service (OFWAS), show proof of approval by relevant government agencies to resume work, provide dormitory operators with the list of workers who had been approved to start work, and plan staggered pick-up and drop-off times for the company’s dedicated transport.

Migrant workers are also required to monitor and report their daily health status using MOM's FWMOMCare mobile application, update their location and mobile numbers using the same app, download and activate the latest version of the TraceTogether mobile application.

MOM will issue an Advisory for Employers on the additional responsibilities of employers and workers for safe living.

The Ministry and relevant sector agencies will continue to ensure that all measures laid out in the advisories are properly implemented before workers are allowed to exit the dormitory for work. MOM may also grant approval for specific cleared blocks or entire cleared dormitories and a worker may only leave the dormitory for work if his employer has the necessary approvals from the relevant agencies to resume business operations.

Besides measures to enable workers to return to work safely, new practices and dormitory arrangements are also needed for their social activities on rest days.

During the first phase of Singapore’s reopening, workers will be required to remain in the dormitories, whilst employers must ensure that all their workers living in the dormitories continue to have access to food and daily necessities, regardless of whether they are eligible to work.

In phase two, when infection rates in the community and dormitories have been sustained at low levels for a period of time, eligible workers will be able to run errands outside the dormitories on their rest days. However, they can only do so on staggered rest days and at staggered timeslots. MOM will introduce a system that will allow workers to apply for their preferred time slots.

Lastly, rest days on the third phase will allow eligible workers to leave dormitories for longer durations and to more locations on their designated rest days.