Should we have an Anti-Age Discrimination Law
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Australia has just passed the law whereby employer cannot discriminate on the basis of age. Should Singapore passed a similar law too?
Employers will no longer be able to discriminate on the basis of age under laws passed by Parliament yesterday.
Labor and the Australian Democrats yesterday backed the Age Discrimination Bill 2003 in the Senate despite the government rejecting their amendments in the lower house.
Under the laws, it would be illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of age.
Access to goods and services, including health and medical services, education and accommodation would also be protected.
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission will also be given powers to deal with age discrimination complaints.
The government rejected a number of amendments including the extension of the laws to cover voluntary work and the setting up of an age discrimination commissioner.
Brian Grieg (AD, WA) told the Senate it was disappointing the Government had not backed the amendments.
"It's long overdue in Australia and we've taken the view that it's better to have a weak prohibition against age discrimination then to have none at all," Senator Greig said.
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Joe Ludwig (ALP, Qld) called on the Government to revisit the laws at a later date.
"Labor's amendments would have given younger and older people greater protection in the workplace," he said.
Parliamentary secretary Judith Troeth said the amendments were unnecessary.
"The Government's objective is to encourage and foster attitudinal change without imposing unnecessary and unrealistic restraints on decision making in business and other sectors of public life," Senator Troeth said.
AAP -
when i was on Qantas, i had old men and old ladies serving my food and drinks.......they are bery friendly and bery meticulous.....and able as any youngster.....
was so much a pleasant journey than on SQ and have the ai-mai-ai-mai semi-chio waitresses shoving my tray to me.... -
The irony of it all - Singapore job market.
My mother, who's now approaching 60 years of age, could not find a decent job (apart from cleaning ladies), was recently offered a job in the USA making use of her years of working experience and knowledge. Sponsored air ticket, accomodation, and medical benefits. Pretty much the works.
Tell me, what's wrong with our local employment scene?
I say age dsicrimination is very much alive and kicking because of high medical costs in hiring aged employees, and of course, "foreign talents".
I tell you, the competition for jobs between locals and foreigners over the years has made a dirty word of "foreign talent". And the over-supply of uni-grads and under supply of jobs have made job hunting utterly impossible for older local people. -
Please don't ask for such stunning request from government. I would fall flat if they concede to your request.
Government can't even take care of the young unemployeds, especially the fresh graduates - and you are asking them to help the older citizens.
Obviously that was never in government's top priority agenda or they would have passed earlier laws to limit foreign workers and pre-empt the present unemployment crisis.
The crux of the matter is this - because of government's poor forsight, nobody in MOM took precaution and set a safety margin. MOM permitted too many PRs and foreign workers into our country inspite of signs that Singapore's economy was going on a tailspin. Many of those foreigners are still here. Can't kick them out and they don't want to leave either!
Companies that were not doing well the last 3 years sack many Singaporeans since similiarly qualified PRs or foreign workers are cheaper to hire. -
wah...jin GY leh, i haven't been on plane b4....
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shut up lah old man
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that wasn't the case for my friend, he encountered racism from themOriginally posted by FireIce:when i was on Qantas, i had old men and old ladies serving my food and drinks.......they are bery friendly and bery meticulous.....and able as any youngster.....
was so much a pleasant journey than on SQ and have the ai-mai-ai-mai semi-chio waitresses shoving my tray to me.... -
If memory serve me well, I think the Singapore Employment Act does contain a section on Dismissal due to Discriminations.
But I'm not too sure if the Age factor was being covered in detail. -
well said bros. it does discriminate older worker in our society. who the one discriminating? sadly, we fellow singaporean are the one discriminating our older age workers.
i seriously question whether we would have such a law to protect the older workers. in fact, this law is also very difficult to upheld considering there are many other excuses employer can use not to employ older workers. the root of the problem, our singaporean culture and believe. even concessionary for taking MRT also have time constraint.
forget abt our govt, the future of us coming to old age just look bleak.