Employers get more support, $30m grant to boost hiring of persons with disabilities
The Government must be prepared to help defray costs of inclusive hiring, said the Health Minister.
Singapore's government is boosting support for employers who hire individuals with disabilities (PWDs). The Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), which subsidizes PWDs' salaries, will undergo updates to provide more frequent payouts, according to Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua. Additionally, the government is allocating around $30 million for the Stronger Support – Enabling Employment Grant (S-EEG), a new funding tier specifically targeted at enterprises employing a "meaningful number" of PWDs with moderate support needs, announced Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung at the Enabling Mark Business Conference 2026.
Chua emphasized that inclusive hiring must be commonplace, not reliant on goodwill, and highlighted the practical challenges employers face, such as rising business costs and additional expenses in hiring and supporting PWDs. The government's financial incentives are part of a broader strategy to promote disability-inclusive employment, as outlined by the Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities.
The Taskforce's report, released in October, addressed various aspects of PWDs' lives, including education and employment. The S-EEG was previously known as the Supported-Enterprise Enabling Grant and will be integrated into the Enabling Employment Grant (EEG), set to launch in the first half of 2027. Employers can utilize the EEG to fund initiatives for creating inclusive workplaces, such as customizing in-house training for PWDs.
Changes to the EEC include raising the qualifying income ceiling, increasing the temporary wage offset, and extending its duration to 12 months, with payouts becoming more frequent—transitioning from half-yearly to quarterly payments starting in December 2027. This move aims to make inclusive hiring more financially viable for employers.
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