A LABOUR law which has not been changed in 13 years will soon be amended to keep it up to date with today's labour market conditions.

The Manpower Ministry is tabling for public consultation a slew of proposed changes to the Employment Act, which offers basic benefits such as salary protection, minimum employment terms and dispute resolution.

Among the beneficiaries of the proposed changes will be some 153,000 'confidential staff', such as accounts assistants, human resource clerks and secretaries.

These have been excluded from the Employment Act so far because it was deemed that their access to company information could lead to potential conflicts of interest and allow unions an unfair bargaining advantage.

In today's corporate world, however, sensitive information is largely handled by senior management, said the Manpower Ministry when explaining the proposed change.

Also to benefit from the proposed changes: About 44,000 executives and junior manangers who earn up to $2,500 a month. They will be able to go to the Labour Court for salary disputes, where previously they could not.

This change recognises the increased share of professionals, managers, executives and technicians in the workplace, said the ministry.

Their proportion has gone up from 40 per cent of the resident workforce in 1997 to 49 per cent last year.

They used to be excluded from the Act as it was assumed that they could protect their own interests by going to the civil courts.

But this process can be long-drawn and costly, so the ministry is offering those paid below $2,500 access to the Labour Court.

The Employment Act currently covers some 1.4 million workers. Senior managers, seamen, domestic workers and government employees are excluded, and will continue to be excluded even after the changes.

The proposed changes also factor in the outsourcing boom that has swelled the ranks of contract workers, from 59,400 in 2001 to 183,000 in June last year, and shortened employment tenures. One-year contracts are now not uncommon.

As a result, the ministry proposes that those who have worked at least three months can now qualify for paid sick leave, instead of six months.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.