PART 8
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS
Interpretation of this Part
67A.  In this Part —
“child” means a person who has not completed his or her 15th year of age;
“young person” means a person who has completed his or her 15th year of age but who has not completed his or her 16th year of age.
Restriction on employment of children
68.—(1)  A person must not employ a child in an industrial or a non‑industrial undertaking except as provided for in subsections (2) and (3).
(2)  A child may be employed in an industrial undertaking in which only members of the same family are employed.
(3)  A child who is 13 years of age or above may be employed in light work suited to his or her capacity in a non‑industrial undertaking.
(4)  For the purposes of subsection (3), the certificate of a medical officer is conclusive upon the question of whether any work is suited to the capacity of any particular child.
Restriction on employment of young persons
69.  A young person must not be employed in any industrial undertaking which the Minister by notification in the Gazette declares to be an industrial undertaking in which a young person must not be employed.
Conditions of employment
70.  The Minister may by regulations made under this Act prescribe the conditions upon which a child or young person may be employed in any industrial or non‑industrial undertaking.
Minimum rates of salary may be prescribed
71.—(1)  If it is shown to the satisfaction of the Minister, upon the application of the Commissioner and after such inquiry as the Minister may direct, that the salaries of children or young persons, or both, employed in any industry or for any particular work or in any area are insufficient, having regard to the nature of the work and the conditions of employment, it is lawful for the Minister to prescribe, by order in the Gazette, minimum rates of salary to be paid to children or young persons or both in that industry, type of employment or area.
(2)  Any person contravening any such order shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both, and for a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
Approved employment
72.—(1)  Sections 68 and 69 do not apply —
(a)to the employment of children and young persons —
(i)in work approved and supervised by the Ministry of Education or the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore; and
(ii)carried on in any technical, vocational or industrial training school or institute; and
(b)to the employment of young persons under any apprenticeship programme approved and supervised by the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore.
(2)  For the purposes of this section, the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore means the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore established under the Institute of Technical Education Act 1992.
Regulations regulating employment
73.  The Minister may make regulations for regulating the employment of children in any occupation and a child or young person must not be employed as a workman under any circumstances or under any conditions which may be prohibited by the Minister by regulations made under this Act.
Offence
74.  Any person who employs a child or young person in contravention of the provisions of this Part or any of the regulations made under this Part and any parent or guardian who knowingly or negligently suffers or permits such employment shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both, except in the case where a child or young person suffers serious injury or death resulting from any breach of the provisions of this Part or any regulations made under this Part the offender shall be punished with a fine of $5,000 and shall also be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.
Power of Youth Court in respect of children or young persons requiring care or protection
75.  A child or young person in respect of whom any of the offences mentioned in this Part has been committed may be brought before a Youth Court and the Court, if satisfied that the child or young person requires care or protection, may exercise with respect to that child or young person all or any of the powers conferred by section 54 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993.
[27/2014]
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Last updated 26 Nov 2024
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