Statute Details
- Title: Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020
- Full Title: Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020
- Act Code: WICA2019-S730-2020
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation
- Commencement Date: 1 September 2020
- Parts: N/A
- Key Sections: Section 2: Definitions; Section 7: Payments for approved projects, schemes and purposes; Section 8: Procedure on receipt of donations; Section 11: Revocation and savings
- Related Legislation: Work Injury Compensation Act 2019
What Is This Legislation About?
The Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 establish and govern the administration of the Workers' Fund, which is a fund used to provide financial assistance and support to injured workers in Singapore. The regulations set out the sources of the Fund, its purposes, the procedures for making payments from the Fund, and the management and dissolution of the Fund.
The Workers' Fund is an important component of Singapore's work injury compensation framework, as it allows the government to provide ex gratia payments and fund various initiatives to support injured workers beyond the scope of the statutory work injury compensation scheme. This legislation gives the Commissioner administering the Fund the necessary powers and procedures to effectively manage the Fund and deploy its resources to assist injured workers.
What Are the Key Provisions?
The key provisions of the Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 are as follows:
Sources of the Fund (Section 3): The Fund consists of moneys standing to its credit before 1 September 2020, payments made under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019, amounts recovered in respect of ex gratia payments, payments made under other written laws, grants and donations, and interest/dividends from investments.
Administration of the Fund (Section 4): The Fund is controlled and administered by the Commissioner, who may invest the moneys in the Fund as authorized by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance. The interest or dividends from such investments accrue to the Fund.
Purposes of the Fund (Section 5): The moneys in the Fund may be used to make ex gratia payments to injured workers, finance rehabilitation schemes and projects for industrial safety and worker welfare, and for other purposes related to worker safety, health, and financial assistance as approved by the Minister.
Ex Gratia Payments (Section 5(2)): Ex gratia payments from the Fund may be made in the following circumstances: to alleviate financial difficulties of injured workers pending determination or where their compensation claims have failed; where an employer or platform operator has failed to pay compensation; and to defray medical expenses for occupational diseases contracted after the limitation period under the Act.
Application for Ex Gratia Payments (Section 6): Applications for ex gratia payments must be made in the form and manner required by the Commissioner. The Commissioner has the discretion to approve or reject such applications, and the decision is final.
Payments from the Fund (Section 7): The Commissioner may make payments, including ex gratia payments, from the Fund at rates and for periods determined by the Commissioner. However, the Commissioner must obtain prior approval from the Minister for payments exceeding $10,000 for any particular project, scheme or purpose.
Procedure on Receipt of Donations (Section 8): The Commissioner must issue written acknowledgments and official receipts to donors and maintain a Register of Donors with details of all donations received.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 consist of 11 sections that cover the following key aspects:
- Citation and commencement
- Definitions
- Sources of the Fund
- Administration of the Fund
- Purposes of the Fund
- Procedure for application for ex gratia payments
- Payments for approved projects, schemes and purposes
- Procedure on receipt of donations
- Proper accounts to be kept
- Procedure for dissolution of the Fund
- Revocation and savings
The legislation also includes a Schedule that lists the occupational diseases for which ex gratia payments can be made after the limitation period has expired.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 apply to the administration and use of the Workers' Fund, which is intended to provide financial assistance and support to injured workers in Singapore. The regulations define "injured worker" broadly to include any individual, whether an employee or a platform worker, who is injured in an accident in the course of their work.
While the statutory work injury compensation scheme under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 provides compensation to eligible employees and platform workers, the Workers' Fund allows the government to go beyond the scope of the statutory scheme and provide additional support to injured workers, including those whose claims may have failed.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 are an important part of Singapore's work injury compensation framework. The Workers' Fund serves as a safety net to provide financial assistance and support to injured workers, complementing the statutory work injury compensation scheme.
The regulations give the Commissioner administering the Fund the necessary powers and procedures to effectively manage the Fund and deploy its resources to assist injured workers. This includes the ability to make ex gratia payments in various circumstances, such as to alleviate financial difficulties of injured workers or to cover medical expenses for occupational diseases contracted after the limitation period.
The Fund also allows the government to finance rehabilitation schemes, industrial safety and health projects, and worker welfare initiatives, which can have a significant impact on improving the well-being and support available to injured workers in Singapore. The transparent procedures for managing donations and maintaining proper accounts also ensure the effective and accountable use of the Fund's resources.
Overall, the Work Injury Compensation (Workers' Fund) Regulations 2020 play a crucial role in enhancing the work injury compensation framework and providing a comprehensive system of support for injured workers in Singapore.
Related Legislation
- Work Injury Compensation Act 2019
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Work Injury Compensation (Workers’ Fund) Regulations 2020 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.