ADVANTAGE! Scheme

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The ADVANTAGE! Scheme is a programme developed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), in partnership with its Tripartite Partners, the National Trade Union Congress (NUTC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). With the enhancements, the ADVANTAGE! Scheme now offers a grant of up to $400,000 to support your company's initiatives and efforts in the following areas:

• Recruitment of new workers aged 40 and above,
• Retention of existing workers aged 55-61, and
• Re-employment of existing workers aged 62 and above.

It also supports initiatives to implement HR systems for the retention and re-employment of mature workers. These may include, but not limited to:

• Wage restructuring - From seniority-based wages to more job-based, competency-based and performance-based wages.
• Institution of re-employment policy.
• Institution of non-discriminatory recruitment/hiring policy.
• Career and retirement counseling especially for workers withdrawing their CPF at age 55.
• Redesigning of medical benefits - To fixed quantum per workers so as not to disadvantage cost competitiveness of mature workers.
• Introduction of part time work to attract economically inactive workers.
• Improving working environment to help mature workers to be more productive.
• Skills upgrading or re-skilling of mature workers.
• Health promotion programmes.
• Performance management systems.
• Job re-design to raise productivity or introduce new roles and responsibilities for mature workers.

 

How ADVANTAGE! Scheme Works

The enhanced ADVANTAGE! is open to companies registered or based in Singapore. Upon successful application, your company may receive a grant amount of up to S$400,000.

The grant will fund the cost of your company's efforts to recruit, retain or re-employ mature workers, including the developing and/or implementing of re-employment systems. These may include costs incurred for training, absentee payroll, staff salary, consultancy, Intellectual Property Rights and equipment. The grant, however, cannot be used for the purposes of retention bonus or salary support.

Companies applying for the ADVANTAGE! grant are required to submit the following:

• A simple proposal of their project, stating:
  • Number of workers aged 40 and above to be recruited and/or,
  • Number of workers aged 55-61 to be retained and/or,
  • Number of workers aged 62 and above to be re-employed
  • Details of its re-employment system
• A statement declaring the estimated cost of the project

If your company is currently employing workers aged 55 and above, you will need to commit to at least Option B and/or C.

If your company does not currently employ any stuff aged 55 and above, you may still apply for ADVANTAGE! but only for Option A (recruitment only) and the grant amount will be capped at $100,000 per company.

 

Grant Computation

The method of calculation of the grant amount will be based on:

• Number of workers aged 40 and above to be recruited X $3,000 +
• Number of workers aged 55-61 to be retained X $3,000 +
• Number of workers aged 62 and above to be re-employed X $4,000

OR

• 80% of declared project cost

whichever is lower, subject to a cap of $400,000 per company. if your company have received ADVANTAGE! grants before, you are still eligible to apply for the enhanced ADVANTAGE! Scheme. The total cumulative grant you may receive for all the ADVANTAGE! projects will be subjected to an overall cap of $400,000.

 

Grant Disbursement

The grant will be disbursed over 3 tranches and it is tied to the achievement of the following outcomes within 1 year:

	Recruitment of new workers 40 and above	Retention of existing staff 55-61	Re-employment of existing staff 62 and above
1st Tranche - 30%	Efforts made to recruit mature workers through job advertisements, indication that mature workers are welcome.	New re-employment system announced or committed to staff/union e.g. through HR circulars or new re-employment clauses in Collective Agreements.	New re-employment system announced or committed to staff/union e.g. through HR circulars or new re-employment clauses in Collective Agreements.
2nd Tranche - 30%	At least 50% of recruitment target achieved 6 months after 1st disbursement.	At least 70% retention rate achieved 6 months after 1st disbursement.	At least 70% of staff re-employed 6 months after 1st disbursement.
3rd Tranche - 40%	100% of recruitment target achieved 9 months after 1st disbursement. At least 50% 3-month retention rate achieved.	At least 70% retention rate sustained 12 months after 1st disbursement.	At least 70% of staff continue to be re-employ 12 months after 1st disbursement.

 

Any enquiries and applications for ADVANTAGE! Scheme should be made to Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA).

Ms Mariati Sammadin
Singapore Workforce Development Agency
Maufacturing & Construction Division
1 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018989
DID: +65 6512 1125
Fax: +65 6512 1336
Email: mariati_sammadin@wda.gov.sg
Website: http://www.wda.gov.sg/