Target employment rate for persons with disabilities up 40%: Wong
In 2021, the employment rate for the group rose by two percentage points.
The target for employment rate of persons with disabilities was increased to 40% by 2030 from the previous target of 30% as the government to become more inclusive for the group, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong.
In a speech during the Inclusive Business Forum 2022 at the Mediacorp Campus, Wong said about 10,000 more members of the group were hired last year, adding that they will continue to improve inclusivity in their society.
“We can certainly make a difference and get more companies to come onboard to offer jobs for persons with disabilities and reach 40%. Hopefully, we can reach it even earlier than 2030, and we can set an even higher target after that,” he said.
Recent government figures showed that the current employment rate for persons with disabilities went up to 30% in 2021.
According to a study by SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion in Singapore, implementing disability-inclusive practices will provide greater sense of purpose and higher retention rates.
Wong said there are already more companies being accredited with the Enabling Mark, a national accreditation by SG Enable, which honours businesses for their “best practices and outcomes in disability-inclusive employment.