Tan See Leng
Singapore
“We are aware of the Singapore Workplace Report 2026, produced by the Singapore Institute of Directors and Gallup, and we are studying its findings.”
“The Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation (Taskforce) actively reaches out to all retrenched local employees. In 2025, 77% of Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications (MRNs) were submitted at least seven days ahead of the employee's last working day and 73% of MRNs were submitted at least two weeks ahead.”
“From 2022 to 2025, vacancy rates for technical maintenance roles in the real estate services sector, which includes facilities management, have been lower than the overall job vacancy rate, except in 2025 (see Table 1).”
“The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) works with sector agencies to determine the courses which are required by the respective industries. The SWDA currently funds more than 100 courses, spanning a wide range of mental health-related fields.”
“In the first quarter of 2026, the profile of retrenched residents aged 50 to 59 was broadly similar to the profile of all retrenched residents, predominantly comprising professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and were mainly from wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, financial and insurance services and profession…”
“In 2025, around 4,200 resident professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) aged 45 to 59 were retrenched, higher than 3,200 in 2024 and 3,500 in 2023. Their six-month re-entry rate remained stable at 48.5% in 2025, compared with 48.9% in 2024 and 50.1% in 2023.”
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“The Ministry of Manpower is discussing with its tripartite partners, the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation, on how and when restrictive clauses in employment contracts can and should be used, based on established principles that the Courts have articulated. More details will be made available in due course.”
“We urge employers to encourage good health-seeking behaviours for their migrant workers, especially for preventive care, to better manage worker healthcare costs in the long term and increase productivity at work.”
“Currently, there are more than 490,000 migrant workers enrolled in the Primary Care Plan (PCP). PCP provides quality, accessible and affordable care to migrant workers. Appointed medical service providers must adhere to licensing and regulatory standards by the Ministry of Health and meet clinical quality and patient safety requirements specified by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Providers must employ staff who can speak the migrant workers' native languages and must provide translations of healthcare materials and medical and treatment plans in such languages. Clinics and medical centres must be located in the vicinity of migrant worker catchment areas, such as dormitories. Migrant workers pay a fixed co-payment fee of $2 per telehealth session or $5 per in-person session, so that they are not deterred from seeking medical care. A study conducted by the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health found that the medical centres and in-dormitory clinics operated by our PCP medical service providers were the most visited by migrant workers due to their affordability, proximity and convenience. MOM also regularly performs service satisfaction surveys and, thus far, majority of migrant workers are satisfied with PCP and its services. PCP offers employers predictability and clarity of cost and protection against unexpected healthcare bills through a fixed annual capitation rate. With PCP, employers expect to save at least 20% when compared to the expected annual cost of consultations at General Practitioner clinics for each worker. MOM will continue to engage employers to gather feedback on PCP and ensure that quality care is provided at an affordable cost.”
“I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his suggestion. We, indeed, will cover that in my wrap-up speech. I do not want to belabour the point because we are only at the beginning. I note the fact that there is significant interest. For the record, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for your support of the Bill at just the Second Reading itself. But I want to, not to belabour the point, the illustration in the explanatory statement was actually taken out of context. It is meant to clarify what is discrimination as defined in the Bill – in this particular Bill itself. It is not what we consider to be discrimination in Singapore. I cannot emphasise and reiterate more, that we do not tolerate any form of racism and we do not tolerate any form of workplace discrimination. Like I said, TAFEP will continue to be there. TAFEP was the basis on which we built this WFL on. It will continue to assist any worker who experiences workplace discrimination even if they fall outside or beyond the scope of this Bill. This Bill is, really, the first step in introducing legislation for our workplace fairness regime. I do not want to belabour the point. Thank you, Speaker.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I would just like to provide one point of clarification to the Leader of the Opposition's earlier point on associated discrimination. I want to, first and foremost, reassure every Member in the House and every Singaporean that we do not tolerate any form of discrimination. But for the purpose of WFL, for the purpose of this Bill, as I have alluded to the journey that we have taken for the last many years, the fact that so many people have come up and we have taken all of their considerations, to move it to a more surefooted way of crafting a Bill, we wanted to be very well-scoped in terms of defining what the definition of this protected characteristic is and what does the protected characteristic cover. Hence, I have outlined five broad categories. By virtue of the way the Member has described it, Mr Speaker, Sir, from the Leader of the Opposition, in terms of the associated discrimination, by virtue of the fact that an employee is married to someone who is of a different race, let us say, for example, who feels that he is being discriminated against because he is dismissed, TAFEP will take it up. But for the purpose of the prescribed penalty in terms of the Bill, WFL, at this particular point in time, we have not crafted it such that it is covered. But that does not mean that, moving forward, we would not continue to review. Because it is a live document, we will continue to get data, to look at where the areas of needs are and we will continue to improve that and expand the coverage itself. I hope that can correct, in case the Member has any misperception.”
“(In English): To conclude, while this Bill is not a silver bullet for upholding workplace fairness, it will enhance our current model of promoting fair and harmonious workplaces in a way that is tailored to our local context. It will encourage an atmosphere of trust and openness where issues on workplace discrimination can be raised safely and resolved amicably. In doing so, we aim to preserve, we aim to reinforce and to improve our existing workplace norms on fair and harmonious workplaces. Beyond the WFL and TGFEP, we need to cultivate the right mindsets and a shared understanding that everyone benefits from a fairer workplace. The tripartite partners are committed to continuing our efforts at nurturing these mindsets and norms in the workplaces and beyond. We welcome everyone to join us in this whole-of-society effort to build fairer and more harmonious workplaces together. Mr Speaker, Sir, I seek to move. [Applause.] [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Thank you. Mr Speaker, Sir, given the significance of this Bill, please allow me to attempt to say a few words in Malay. To my Malay speaking colleagues and friends, please pardon my errors in delivery and pronunciation. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Workplace Fairness legislation will help preserve and enhance the fair and harmonious norms that have worked well thus far. After studying the experiences in other countries, we recognise the complexities in introducing such laws. We want to preserve our hard-earned harmony in the workplace and in society. We also do not want to make the workplace a litigious environment. So, this WFL is not a panacea. Instead, it is an additional layer of measured protection that helps to ensure workers are evaluated and hired based on their abilities and not discriminatory biases. For employees and jobseekers, this Bill sends a strong message – everyone has an opportunity to fulfil their potential at work. It will ensure that there is recourse available and no worker should have to suffer in silence – such as in cases where they face racial or religious discrimination at work. This law also ensures that employers retain the flexibility to make decisions based on genuine business needs. At the same time, we will afford religious groups some flexibility to make employment decisions based on religion. Meanwhile, we will preserve the common space for secular jobs. We recognise that most employers have adopted fair employment practices and want to do the right thing. Notwithstanding this new legislation, we will take an education-first approach. We will only take action against employers that blatantly flout the rules.”
“I think it is five more minutes. I do not know whether I will exceed the five minutes.”
“The Bill will also stipulate protective measures for handling disputes, allowing employees to report discriminatory behaviours without fear. For businesses, the Bill ensures that employers can make hiring decisions based on genuine business needs. This includes considering whether job applicants can fulfil job responsibilities. Employers may also decide not to hire certain employees for health and safety reasons or regulatory requirements. Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees will be temporarily exempted from the Bill for the first five years after implementation, giving them more time to adapt to the new regulations. There is an old saying, "The law is not separate from human sentiment", meaning that legal principles must be established according to common sense and human nature. We understand that most employers adopt fair employment practices and understand the importance of a harmonious workplace. Therefore, after the new Bill takes effect, we will adopt an education-first approach, guiding employers to correct their behaviour rather than imposing penalties immediately. Only employers who commit serious violations will face fines or be prosecuted in Court.”
“So, it does not mean that we are going to tolerate discrimination because the same guidelines within the TGFEP will continue to apply to these small firms. For the small number of errant employers that blatantly flout the rules, the Bill empowers the Government to take enforcement action based on the severity of the breach. Part 7 provides calibrated levers that balance between effective deterrence and rehabilitation. For less severe breaches, these include directions to attend educational workshops and administrative financial penalties imposed by MOM. For the more severe breaches, MOM can bring the offenders to Court to recommend heavier civil penalties. To be clear, there are enforcement actions that the Government can take, which are in addition to the private claims that employees can make. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to say a few words in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our current fair and harmonious workplace norms did not come by easily. Therefore, the Workplace Fairness Bill will protect these norms. We have considered the experiences of other countries and recognise the complexity of introducing this legislation. Protecting workplace and social harmony requires striking an appropriate balance to avoid creating a litigious culture in the workplace. Thus, the Bill is not a panacea. It provides an additional layer of protection to ensure employers evaluate and hire employees fairly based on work capabilities. The Bill will strengthen existing workplace protections, ensuring employees and job seekers are not discriminated due to age, nationality, sex, marital or pregnancy status, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language, disability or mental health conditions.”
“The WFL is not about making it more difficult or burdensome for these employers or companies to operate. Instead, what it does is that it provides employers with greater certainty on the rules and expectations, so that they know how to act. On the education and capability building front, TAFEP is working closely with partners like SNEF, the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), the Singapore Human Resources Institute and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. TAFEP has set up a one-stop resource webpage for employers, employees and HR professionals. There will also be briefings, clinics and webinars, including those catered to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Finally, there will be training resources for companies and HR to incorporate into their own in-house corporate training, including tapping on the IHRP-certified HR community to share best practices for SME employers. MOM will continue to support firms on this journey by helping employers that may be in breach of the WFL to understand their obligations and to rectify the breach. In line with our educational approach, we will provide time for employers to prepare themselves for the new legislation. This is why we have chosen to introduce this first Bill earlier. We also recognise that small firms may have limited capabilities and resources, and that this can make full compliance from day one difficult. Clause 4 of the Bill exempts firms with fewer than 25 employees, who will be given more time to build up their capabilities before the WFL requirements apply to them. We will review this in five years after the law is implemented. In the meantime, the TGFEP will continue to apply to these small firms.”
“The second Bill will pertain more specifically to how private employment claims can be made for workplace discrimination. It will take us some time to work through the details, which are complex and novel, on how such claims are adjudicated. If both Bills are passed, we intend to implement the WFL sometime in 2026 or 2027. But let me give Members a preview and share the broad approach towards private claims, which was recommended by the Tripartite Committee. For cases that cannot be resolved through the firms' grievance handling process, we intend for the parties to go through mediation before a workplace discrimination claim proceeds. As with all employment disputes, adjudication is a last resort. This preserves a non-litigious culture, encourages open communication and trust and achieves better outcomes for everyone. Today, the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) already hears employment claims, such as for wrongful dismissals. It adopts a judge-led approach focused on resolving the dispute quickly, privately and amicably. We are studying how we can empower the ECT to hear workplace discrimination claims with the same principles as far as possible, while deterring frivolous and vexatious claims against employers with the appropriate safeguards. Let me now turn to the Government's education and enforcement efforts. We will educate on what is discrimination, what is not discrimination, such as when language proficiency is a business requirement, and what to do where there is discrimination. We will illustrate with examples and provide accessible channels of advice and support. Most employers are responsible and comply with TGFEP. They will not see a heavy increase in their obligations.”
“Beyond these formal legal protections, MOM and TAFEP will continue our longer-term educational efforts so that employers and employees see the value of keeping communications and attitudes open. Beyond grievance handling and retaliation, we also received suggestions including on workplace harassment issues in the WFL. In Singapore, we have a multi-pronged approach to address harassment issues, including in the workplace. There are criminal offences under the Protection from Harassment Act and the Penal Code. We also have a Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment. The grievance handling processes required under this Bill can also be used by victims of workplace harassment, to surface their cases to employers for resolution. Beyond this, the tripartite partners have agreed to develop a Tripartite Standard to complement the existing Tripartite Advisory, that will guide and encourage employers to adopt best practices in this area. This bolsters our educational efforts and complements our current legal protections, to create safer workplaces. What if in spite of all that, the employer and employee are unable to settle their differences within the firm? While an employee should first bring up the issue to the firm, not every instance of communication and conciliation within the firm will be successful. In such cases, the employee can decide if they wish to make a private employment claim under the Bill. We will introduce a second Bill later to provide this option for claimants. Today's Bill is the first of two Bills and will cover the substantive rights and obligations under the WFL. We have chosen to introduce it early so that employers can have more time to prepare themselves for the new law.”
“The Bill focuses on ensuring that employers have a grievance handling process in place and it refrains from being overly prescriptive on the detailed requirements. This approach is a pragmatic, practical and a sensible one, given the diversity of firms in our economy – a process that works for a technology startup with 30 employees might not work for a construction company with 300 employees or a bank with 3,000 employees. The grievance handling requirement will serve as a baseline requirement that most of our employees can benefit from. Unions will continue to play a key role in setting the right norms, educating workers about their rights and amicably resolving disputes. For firms that do not already have such processes in place, TAFEP has prepared accessible and practical resources and templates. For instance, there is a Grievance Handling Handbook on TAFEP's website that provides details on internal grievance handling procedures. TAFEP is also working on a new e-learning courseware to guide employers on how to implement the grievance handling process. At the same time, we know formal processes alone may not be sufficient. In MOM's 2023 survey, we saw a decline in the proportion of employees who sought help after experiencing discrimination, despite a rise in firms with formal procedures. Employees were worried about impacting their work relationships or careers. Clause 28 of the Bill provides better assurance by prohibiting employers from retaliating against those that file complaints and claims. The message we want to send out is clear: we will not hesitate to take action against employers that retaliate against those who raise valid grievances and employees should therefore feel safe to bring them up.”
“In designing these flexibilities, we also want to assure employers that they will not run afoul of the law if they need to make employment decisions based on requirements set by the Government, such as those involving public safety or national security. Mr Speaker, Sir, when grievances arise, open communication is vital to help employers and employees to preserve the relationship and avoid further misunderstandings. Let me now talk about how the Bill will require employers to put in place grievance handling processes and provide stronger protection from retaliation for employees who step forward. First, grievance handling processes. TAFEP has seen disputes arise from miscommunication that could have been easily or quickly resolved if the parties had discussed openly from the start. Workplace disputes should, where possible, be resolved within the firm itself. This encourages employers and employees to settle differences more amicably whilst minimising disruptions and it also builds trust. Today, six in 10 firms already have formal procedures to manage workplace discrimination. Most firms are fair and equitable workplaces. By making a push for firms to put in place processes to handle grievances professionally and sensitively, we can help these employers ensure that genuine cases do not fall through the cracks. Grievance handling processes will also help to build trust by providing a safe space to have conversations about sensitive or difficult issues. Clause 27 of the Bill requires firms to inquire into the grievance they have received, review it and inform the employee of the result. Throughout the process, the employer must also protect the employee's confidentiality to the extent possible.”
“Internationally, this approach of having a law to cover certain protected characteristics with a more flexible tool to cover all other characteristics is quite unique. It enables any employee who faces discrimination to seek support and is only made possible because of good tripartite relations and strong institutions, like TAFEP. We will also update TGFEP in tandem with the WFL's implementation to ensure alignment. Sir, I would like to reiterate to all employees: if you are facing workplace discrimination, MOM and TAFEP will support you. You will not be turned away simply because it is not a protected characteristic. TGFEP will continue to cover all forms of workplace discrimination. Next, I will talk about how the Bill provides room for genuine business needs. Clause 20 sets out the ways that employers can legitimately consider protected characteristics when making employment decisions. Let me give some examples to explain how they may work in practice. First, for the reasonable performance of the job. For example, an employer can consider if a jobseeker is fluent in a particular language for the role of an interpreter. Second, for health and safety reasons, to protect employees and the people around them. For instance, a security company can consider whether an officer with a recently diagnosed but untreated case of depression can carry firearms, for the safety of the officer and for others. Third, for reasons of privacy. For instance, a spa can choose to hire female therapists to serve their female clientele. Fourth, for legal and regulatory reasons. For example, a bus company may only hire bus driver trainees above 21 years old because this is the regulatory age needed to obtain a bus driver's vocational licence.”
“Just as each jurisdiction has its own bespoke set of protected characteristics, we decided on each protected characteristic for their own policy reasons which I have shared earlier, such as supporting our older workers to contribute to our ageing workforce amidst demographic constraints and reaffirming racial and religious harmony as part of our key societal values. It is also important to note that discrimination can arise in many ways. It is a complex and nuanced topic which engages various socio-economic issues. For instance, indirect discrimination is when an employer takes an apparently neutral action that disadvantages people with a protected characteristic in practice. It can impose very wide legal obligations that can create uncertainty and litigiousness for both employers and employees and we have seen cases overseas where employers who had standardised ability tests were challenged because certain racial groups tended to fare worse than others. So, examples like this remind us why it is important that our laws are not overly prescriptive. This is to avoid undermining labour market flexibility and inhibiting our ability to leverage our long-standing and successful model of labour relations to manage such complex issues. So, we have designed this Bill knowing it cannot be the only tool to tackle all forms of workplace discrimination. Instead, this Bill starts on a more scoped and surer footing to ensure that we can preserve the precious workplace and social harmony that we enjoy today, while remaining open to future updates to the list of protected characteristics. The Bill complements TGFEP, which will enable TAFEP to tackle workplace discrimination based on all other characteristics.”
“Clause 24 also provides an exception to facilitate greater employment opportunities for this group by allowing employers to favour persons with disabilities in their hiring decisions. We have also received feedback on the importance of employers making accommodations for persons with disabilities to participate in the workforce. To this end, we are working on a Tripartite Advisory for Reasonable Accommodations to raise awareness and to provide practical guidance to employers. We hope this will help to bring the concept of reasonable accommodations into the mainstream employment space. This greater public awareness will lay the foundation for future moves as part of our Enabling Masterplan, to further support persons with disabilities. For persons with mental health conditions, this Bill recognises that they are more likely to face challenges at the workplace. As raised multiple times in Parliament, mental health issues are a growing challenge, both in Singapore and globally. We must take an evidence-based approach to mental health issues at the workplace, rather than perpetuate stigmas that limit the potential contributions of these fellow members of our society. Let me also explain our approach, given questions on why we have not covered discrimination against more or even all characteristics, or indirect discrimination. Like us, other jurisdictions, such as Australia and Hong Kong, also have a positive list of protected characteristics as it is not practicable to legislate broad principles without causing uncertainty.”
“The Government will keep working hard to empower women to fulfil their aspirations and we hope this Bill can contribute towards our efforts for a more balanced representation of men and women across sectors and across occupations. The protection for caregivers is in line with the Government's efforts to build a family-friendly environment in support of both fathers and mothers, in their marriage and parenthood journey, especially to signal the important role fathers play as an equal partner in the care of their children. It will also support the greater care needs for our ageing population. The fourth category is race, religion and language ability. While racial and religious harmony is part of our long-standing societal values, we still hear that some members of the minority races face racial discrimination at the workplace. This Bill protects against such discriminatory biases. For instance, employers cannot assume that a person of another race does not know Malay or Mandarin. This will send a strong statement that racial and religious discrimination are not acceptable in Singapore. Relatedly, clause 23 affords religious groups with some flexibility to make employment decisions for roles that are religious in nature, such as imams and priests, and roles related to the running of religious institutions, while preserving common space for secular jobs. This is appropriate in view of Singapore's multi-religious society and the longstanding role that religious groups play in our social fabric. The fifth category is disability and mental health conditions. The Bill complements the Government's Enabling Masterplan 2030 by prohibiting discrimination against disabilities.”
“We have also gone a step further in clause 22, to provide an exception that will allow employers to make employment decisions based on whether the person is part of the local workforce. This means employers will be given the flexibility to strengthen their local workforce core, to build stronger local networks and greater resilience to disruptions like the recent pandemic and, hence, achieve stronger business outcomes. Separately, clause 26 codifies into law the existing Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertisement requirements and the duty to fairly consider candidates. By doing so, we will have a greater range of enforcement levers calibrated to the severity of the breaches and further deter discriminatory employers. The third category is sex, marital status, pregnancy and caregiving responsibilities. Based on earlier feedback, including from the Conversations on Singapore Women's Development, these areas are important to ensure fair, merit-based treatment for men and women alike and to support our national marriage and parenthood objectives. So, this is why the Bill protects against discrimination on the basis of sex, which under clause 10 refers to the sex that is legally assigned to the individual, either at birth or post re-assignment. While we have made progress, women continue to be underrepresented in areas, such as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields and leadership roles. Women in STEM jobs were 29% in 2013. However, this improved to 34% in 2023 over a 10-year horizon. Women's participation on the boards of the top 100 Singapore Exchange-listed companies is currently 25%. We recognise that this could be due to an interplay of many social and economic factors.”
“So, this is why an exception under clause 21 provides employers with the flexibility if they intend to tap on these seniors' experience and expertise and retain them in the workforce. At the same time, we also know that the law can only go so far in preventing discriminatory practices and we will continue our efforts to dispel negative stereotypes and create more age-inclusive workplaces. The second category is nationality. Many Singaporeans understand the economic case for why we need foreigners. They grow the economic pie by anchoring companies and investments that create better prospects for Singaporean workers and businesses. Other countries also know this. They have been competing hard to attract more global talent so that they can anchor global and regional functions, cutting-edge technology and skills in emerging industries. Without foreigners to complement our local workforce, we will lose out on better jobs, higher wages and stronger business opportunities. So, it is essential that we remain open, connected and welcoming to global talent and to businesses that can make our team stronger. At the same time, we recognise the lived experiences and concerns of Singaporeans about whether foreigners are taking over their jobs. From time to time, we hear of biased employment preferences for specific nationalities. We have been taking strong measures to counter such discriminatory practices to ensure that our locals are treated fairly. The Bill is our next step to further strengthen protections for Singaporeans and ensure a fair playing field. It will enable us to take stronger action against nationality discrimination.”
“Under clause 17 read with clauses 5, 6, and 7, employers are prohibited from choosing not to hire someone, or giving them a poor performance appraisal, denying a promotion or training opportunity or dismissing them because the jobseeker or employee has a protected characteristic. The Bill will also prohibit company policies or job advertisements that discriminate on the ground of a protected characteristic under clauses 18 and 19. After extensive consultations, we have decided on a more nuanced and calibrated approach by first starting with five categories of protected characteristics under clause 8. These are areas where there is broad societal consensus and we have national policy imperatives to prevent discrimination against in the workplace. Together, they account for more than 95% of discrimination complaints received by TAFEP and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). This provides some assurance that we have the requisite experience and the capabilities to handle such cases under WFL, without disrupting business operations or workplace harmony. The first category is age. The Bill protects age discrimination because all workers, young and old, deserve to be assessed based on how well they do their jobs rather than their age. For instance, employers should not assume that an older worker or an older person has less strength than a young person to carry out manual tasks. At the same time, we also recognise that senior workers are disproportionately impacted by age discrimination. Given our ageing population, we must empower our senior workers to contribute to our workforce if they wish to, for as long as they remain productive and continue learning and refreshing their skills.”
“What we want to achieve is to ensure that jobseekers and employees are evaluated fairly based on those skills and those attributes. Even as we take this next step in our workplace fairness journey, please also let me emphasise upfront that Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL) is not a panacea. Rather, it is an additional layer of protection that allows us to take certain actions against the more frequently encountered forms of workplace discrimination where there is societal consensus today. It is a measured approach that seeks to preserve our current workplace norms and guard against divisions in our workplaces and society. I will now cover how the Bill will: first, strengthen protections for jobseekers and employees against discrimination, while retaining flexibility for employers; second, provide grievance handling processes to promote better communication and amicable resolution of issues; and third, complement our education-first approach, with calibrated levers, to deal with the small number of bad employers who persist in egregious discrimination. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me first share the overarching principles that underpin the protections in this Bill. Singapore is a meritocracy and employers here must hire and assess workers based on their ability to do the job well. Every worker should also have the opportunity to develop their potential, without employment decisions being distorted by discriminatory biases. So, let me explain how the Bill gives effect to this. The Bill prohibits employers from making an adverse employment decision on the ground of a protected characteristic.”
“At the same time, we have taken note of SNEF's views on the need to provide operational flexibility for employers, so they can apply fair employment practices while meeting genuine business needs. The Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness also consulted widely. We have held more than 70 in-person engagements, with more than 2,000 individuals from all walks of life – including unions, workers, employers, human resources (HR) and legal professionals, and civil society and community organisations. We have also studied other countries with anti-discrimination laws. And there are a couple of observations. First, different countries have different national contexts and so, the laws are not quite comparable across countries. For example, the characteristics that are legally protected and how disputes are legally resolved, differ from country to country. Second, introducing such laws is complex, and well-meaning legal protections for workers can have unintended consequences that end up hurting workers. For instance, if employers become more reluctant to hire certain groups or the laws result in protracted litigation between employers and employees. We have taken the time to consult and study these experiences carefully, instead of rushing to introduce and implement the Bill, because we want to keep our hard-earned harmony in our workplaces and society. The comprehensive process that we have gone through and the effort we have made to understand different stakeholder groups give us confidence that the Bill strikes the right balance for now. At the end of the day, employers must fundamentally be able to hire employees based on the skills and attributes that support their business needs.”
“Mr Speaker, I move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." We currently address workplace discrimination complaints under the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, or TGFEP, through the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, or TAFEP. This framework has worked well for us thus far. Most employers have fair employment practices and our surveys show a declining trend of workplace discrimination over the years. However, we are also contending with an ageing population and economic headwinds. Amidst these demographic and economic realities, a complementary foreign workforce remains important to Singapore's continued economic success as well as ensuring good jobs and good wages for locals. But we are also clear that these benefits will only accrue to Singaporeans if there is a level playing field that prevents discriminatory practices. This allows all employees to grasp the opportunities in our vibrant economy. So, even as we have made progress, we must not take our generally harmonious and fair workplace conditions for granted. Instead, we should take proactive steps to ensure that employees and jobseekers in Singapore continue to be assured of fair treatment in the workplace. This Workplace Fairness Bill has therefore been designed to improve protections against workplace discrimination, while preserving our fair and harmonious workplace norms. It is the result of close cooperation amongst tripartite partners – the Government, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) – to develop a balanced approach. We have taken in the Labour Movement's feedback, such as through the Professionals, Managers and Executives, or PME, Taskforce and Every Worker Matters Conversations.”
“WSG will launch the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme for local employees with limited overseas experience, providing valuable on-the-job training abroad.”
“Feedback from foreign chambers of commerce often highlight a shortage of technical skills, particularly in information technology (IT), as well as relevant experience, including overseas experience, as some of the obstacles in hiring locals for certain jobs. The Ministry of Manpower's Job Vacancies Report 2023 found that over 40% of professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) vacancies that were unfilled for at least six months were hard to fill due to a lack of necessary specialised skills or work experience, particularly in IT roles, like software developers. These challenges are driven by rapid technological advancements and other developments, which lead to jobs transforming and requiring new skills. To support Singaporeans to acquire these emerging skills, the Government invests heavily in upskilling through programmes providing industry-recognised training, such as Workforce Singapore's (WSG's) Career Conversion Programmes and SkillsFuture Singapore's SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme. The Government will provide jobs and skills insights to empower Singaporeans to take charge of their careers and plan ahead, through the 17 Jobs Transformation Maps that provide job-level insights on emerging skills and the CareersFinder digital service that provides personalised, data-driven jobs and skills recommendations. In addition, the Government supports businesses to expand opportunities for Singaporeans to gain overseas experience. The Economic Development Board has introduced the Global Business Leaders Programme to support companies sending Singaporean employees with leadership potential on overseas postings.”
“As mentioned in our earlier reply to a related Parliamentary Question read on 14 October 2024, out of the 228,900 full-time resident employees aged 25 to 64 who were in their first year of employment in 2023, 18,800 employees or 8.2% received only seven days of paid annual leave. [Please refer to "Full-time Resident Employees Aged 25 to 64 Receiving Only Seven Days Paid Annual Leave in First Year of Employment", Official Report, 14 October 2024, Vol 95, Issue 142, Written Answers to Questions section.] Detailed estimates broken down by industry are not available.”
“Our main focus is on understanding the safety, the reliability and the technical aspects of SMR type of technology. I think in the context of thinking forward, what are some possible pathways we can use – because we have committed to a net zero target by 2050, so what are some of the alternative pathways we can do for us to continue to fulfil our zero emission target and at the same time accommodate high-growth industries, whether it is in semiconductors or even wafer fabs or even data centres? We will explore all possible pathways in order for us to enable our policy space to be able to accommodate some of these set-ups. So, SMR is one. I have also shared in this House that we are also looking at geothermal exploration. As I have earlier on shared, we are considering using ammonia as a pathfinder. We are also looking at the possibility of carbon capture and storage. We are also working with like-minded countries for implementation agreements according to Article 6 of the Paris Accords on carbon credits as well. So, it is one of multiple pathways that EMA and the Energy Division of the Ministry of Trade and Industry have embarked on to explore every possible means we can to decarbonise and within our confines of policy space, in terms of affordability and sustainability.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. For the Future Energy Fund, I have shared earlier on, I believe it was at the Budget or Committee of Supply debate this year, that in some of the infrastructural investments, particularly pertaining to interconnectors, that is what we envisage part of the Future Energy Fund will be used for. It would be premature at this particular point in time to talk about what amounts have been ear-marked. But with time, we will come back and lay out what are the amounts that we have been setting aside to develop and to invest in, to seed and to catalyse some of the developments. So, the first point is, perhaps for the Member's own understanding, the first focus will be on the interconnectors and this is relating to the renewable energy imports. For the SMRs today, while there have been a lot of discussions, there has been also a lot of publicity around the potential for SMRs. We have been looking globally. The number of sites where one SMR has been deployed in a commercially and economically feasible segment, has yet to be demonstrated. However, that being said, it still holds quite a fair bit of promise because the safety buffer zones are significantly less than during the time when we did the first feasibility study. I think that was back in around 2012, where the safety buffer zones for the conventional large-sized nuclear reactors did not make it possible or feasible for us to be considering investing in such type of technology within our island state. However, today, given the nascency of some of these projects, we have not decided whether we will move on to another feasibility study. We are waiting for data to come out. We have just entered into an agreement, the 123 Agreement with the United States.”
“I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I think that it is important to recognise that in today's climate, depending on which aspects that you are looking at, the employee also has certain advantages vis-à-vis choosing the choice of employers that they want to work for, because we do have a very tight labour market. So, it is how we achieve that good balance, of balancing responsible employees who really form the majority of our workforce, alongside responsible employers who are also the majority of our entire job ecosystem, with a very good balance achieved through tripartism – working with the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF), working with the Labour Movement and also getting other non-government organisations, the IHRP and other organisations which have been working alongside with us. We hope that we can continue to maintain this harmonious ecosystem. Of course, we cannot take things for granted because we continue to work hard at tripartism, at working with the different chambers to achieve this. But I want to reassure the Leader that every single complaint and every single question is dealt with expeditiously in a very clear and transparent manner. And by building a database, a repository of the nature of the different types of complaints, it would sharpen our ability to protect employees better and, at the same time, maintain that balance for employers.”
“I thank Dr Tan for his supplementary question. As I have said, we are at a very pivotal state of transformation and the adoption of AI. If we were having a series of discussions earlier on and Dr Tan himself also brought to our attention that, today, you can actually file a legal suit using ChatGPT. So, what is fundamentally important for us today is to work closely with employees or with potential employees who may feel that they are aggrieved, to surface such cases to us so that we can investigate. Then, obviously, we will work with the companies to see if some of the algorithms – sometimes, it may not be an intention, it could be a function of the datasets that the company is using – have an inherent bias, for instance, in looking at certain characteristics and, therefore, favour hiring or promotion in favour of those characteristics. So, we need that constant sense of vigilance, we need the participation of all parties coming together. We also need different agencies, the IHRP, the Labour Movement and we need our tripartite partners to come into the space alongside with us. Then we can ensure a more equitable society and workplace for everyone.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. We certainly will take the Member's suggestion to continue to improve the processes and to tighten it. As I have shared earlier on, the adoption of AI, the use of the multiple tools is proceeding at a fairly rapid pace. To be overly prescriptive, to be overly tight in terms of our regulations, I think it would not just be not practical, but I do not think at this particular point in time, given the stage of evolution of the entire AI industry, we can really catch up with them adequately. I think the best, nuanced approach is to continue to maintain clear responsible use of AI, which the Government has actually introduced in the form of a model AI governance framework. And one particular example is AI Verify. I think for the purpose of the brevity of this discussion, I do not want to go into too much discussion on that part of it. This is a toolkit, which is developed by IMDA. I am happy to walk the Members of the House through at subsequent Parliamentary Sittings if there is another Parliamentary Question filed on that, to talk about how we can use that. For the use of data in terms of the algorithms that many of these companies may want to use, it is important that the data pertaining to individuals is anonymised. And, of course, consent would really be one of those things that we are looking at as well. So, I hope that gives the Member that reassurance that we are doing everything that we can to stay on top of it.”
“Mr Speaker, regardless of the technological tools used to aid employment decisions, such as hiring or promotions, employers must comply with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which promotes fair and merit-based employment practices. If certain artificial intelligence (AI) use results in discriminatory employment practices, workers or job applicants can approach the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for assistance. TAFEP will work with the employer to address the grievances of the workers or job applicants and ensure that the employer’s recruitment or performance appraisal processes adhere to the principles of fair employment. To date, TAFEP has not received complaints of discrimination arising from the use of AI tools. I would also like to caution that AI technologies are evolving at a fast pace. In deploying AI-powered human resources (HR) tools, organisations should refer to the guidelines introduced by the Government to support the responsible development and use of AI. The Government will continue to closely monitor the trends in AI adoption and work with our tripartite partners, the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) and the broader HR community to regularly assess if existing guidelines and regulations are adequate.”
“The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) occupational health experts review scientific studies on the potential health risks associated with prolonged standing on a regular basis. In general, anyone who stands for prolonged periods of time, e.g., more than 4 hours a day in a fixed location, may experience swollen feet or weakened muscles in the long run. Together with the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, we have issued the WSH Guidelines on Improving Ergonomics in the Workplace to strongly encourage all employers, including retailers, to provide adequate rest and welfare for frontline staff who need to stand as part of their jobs. The Guidelines include good practices for employers to support employees who need to stand for prolonged periods, such as allowing them to sit and rest at regular intervals and providing anti-fatigue mats or sit-stand stools. Retail employers can also improve displays or storage areas for easier access, leverage on lifting aids to reduce manual tasks and streamline work processes for greater efficiency. These can help all employees, including older workers, perform their tasks safely and effectively.”
“As of end-2023, 1.4 per cent of active self-employed persons (SEPs)1 had MediSave balances lower than the MediShield Life premiums in 2027 after the increase has been fully phased in2, of which, half (i.e., 0.7 per cent of active SEPs) were unable to keep up with their MediSave contribution obligations. SEPs who have difficulty making their MediSave contributions can approach the Central Provident Fund Board to work out an affordable instalment plan, to build up their healthcare savings. The Government is committed to helping Singaporeans, including SEPs, manage the MediShield Life premium increases. The Government announced a $4.1 billion support package that includes enhancements to means-tested premium subsidies, which will help older SEPs from lower- to middle-income households. It also includes MediSave top-ups, such as the enhanced one-time Majulah Package MediSave Bonus, the additional MediSave Bonus for Young Seniors, the Merdeka Generation seniors with lower MediSave balances and the enhanced one-time Budget 2024 MediSave Bonus. No one will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to financial difficulties. Those who are truly unable to pay for their premiums will be eligible for Additional Premium Support to cover their outstanding premiums fully.”
“Since 2021, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has taken enforcement actions against 11 foreigners who worked illegally as parcel delivery workers and one delivery company that employed illegal workers. MOM has also sent advisories to remind delivery companies that foreigners must hold valid work passes and are not allowed to moonlight. MOM will continue to monitor the situation and assess the need for further measures.”
“The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has set out New Dormitory Standards, which include the living space benchmark of at least 4.2 square metres per resident. These standards will apply by 2040 as part of the multi-year effort to improve living conditions for dormitory residents. However, MOM recognises that some dormitories will not be able to move directly to these standards within a short timeframe for various reasons, such as infrastructural and business constraints. A nuanced approach to creating larger living space per resident is needed to smoothen excessive reductions in bed supply which could result in marked increases in bed prices to employers. Therefore, MOM introduced interim standards that will apply by 2030 and a Dormitory Transition Scheme to support the progressive transition of existing dormitories. When dormitories plan for their transitions to meet the interim standards, they are encouraged to consider adopting features of the New Dormitory Standards as they will need to comply with them by 2040. Good designs can significantly enhance the liveability of dormitories beyond just increasing the size of living spaces. Design innovation is particularly key to Singapore as we are small in size with a high population density. To this end, MOM is undertaking the effort and cost to pilot innovative design features to enhance the liveability of dormitories through the two upcoming MOM-owned Purpose-Built Dormitories, with the aim of demonstrating and disseminating best practices to the rest of the industry.”
“To safeguard Central Provident Fund (CPF) members' interest, only Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) can be included under the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS), as foreign products are subject to changing regulations in jurisdictions outside of the Government's regulatory oversight. Currently, there are ETFs listed on the SGX with exposure to United States (US) equities1. Fund managers of SGX-listed ETFs may choose to apply for their products to be included under the CPFIS, depending on their commercial considerations. The CPF Board carefully assesses these applications, taking into consideration factors, such as investment-related fees and investment track records. CPF members already have the option to invest directly in a number of low-cost, passively-managed unit trusts with US equity exposure through CPFIS2. These unit trusts have comparable expense ratios as ETFs.”
“For the period of January to June 2024, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) has received a small number of complaints of employers not abiding by the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment. TAFEP has engaged all the employers and did not find evidence of irresponsible or unfair retrenchment. On the Ministry’s support for the retrenched employees, the Member may wish to refer to our comprehensive response provided during the 15 October 2024 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Protocols and Enforcement Measures for Oversight of Retrenchments", Official Report, 15 October 2024, Vol 95, Issue 143, Oral Answers to Questions section.] In particular, the Government has worked closely with our tripartite partners to develop an ecosystem that supports workers on every step of their career journey. This includes: (a) helping workers build career resilience through picking up industry-relevant skillsets; (b) assisting affected workers through employment facilitation and career coaching; and (c) the upcoming SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, which will further help involuntarily unemployed persons to bounce back.”
“The Ministry of Manpower does not conduct checks on the salary ranges listed in the job advertisements posted on the MyCareersFuture portal or other job portals. Companies have the flexibility to set the salary ranges for the jobs they offer and to list these in their job advertisements. The onus is on hirers to provide a fair and accurate description of the job and associated salary.”
“The Workplace Fairness Bill will be tabled in Parliament this month.”
“Three new JTMs, including one on generative artificial intelligence in the financial services sector, will be launched. With these insights, workers can proactively tap on reskilling initiatives, such as the TechSkills Accelerator in the information and communications technology sector or the Technology in Finance Immersion Programme in the finance sector, to prepare for jobs of the future and enhance their resilience against tech-driven displacement. To provide greater assurance to displaced workers, we will also be launching the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme next year to provide them with temporary financial support while they search for roles that better utilise their skills and experience. The tripartite partners will continue to work closely to strengthen the employment resilience of our workforce. Workers must do their part, take the initiative to plan their careers and take deliberate steps to upgrade themselves. Employers will need to press on with business transformation, job redesign and proactively train and redeploy their workers into good jobs.”
“There is a wide range of reskilling programmes that all workers can tap on. Let me mention a few that are more focused on mid-career workers: Workforce Singapore’s Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), Mid-Career Pathways Programme (MCPP), and SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP). The CCPs have supported the placement of over 7,000 locals in 2023. The majority of our CCP participants perform well. Approximately nine in 10 of participants stayed employed for at least 24 months and seven in 10 earned more than their last drawn salary. Earlier this year, we enhanced the CCPs by expanding the eligibility criteria and increasing the salary support caps to further support the reskilling of employees to take on growth job roles within the company. We have also seen positive take-up of the MCPP and SCTP programmes since their launch in April 2022. The MCPP has supported more than 2,100 mid-career individuals through company attachments with more than 1,700 host companies to widen their professional networks and gain meaningful, industry-relevant skills and experience. Likewise, the SCTP has supported more than 5,000 individuals to acquire skills so that they can pivot into sectors with good hiring opportunities. We will continue to review our programmes to ensure they remain relevant to workers. To support workers at high risk of displacement from automation and artificial intelligence, our approach is to provide insights on opportunities in the labour market and equip our workers with the skills to take on good jobs. The Government has launched 17 Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs) to provide insights on the impact of technology on jobs in specific industries.”
“The number of Personalised Employment Passes (PEP) applications approved in the past 12 months has decreased by about half, from 3,200 over September 2022 to August 2023, to 1,400 over September 2023 to August 2024.”
“Such workers can, indeed, contact the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices for advice and assistance. Employers are required to abide by the principles of fair employment practices set out in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which include recruiting employees on the basis of merit. Employers are also permitted to consider in recruitment genuine and reasonable occupational requirements that make it difficult for those with tattoos to perform the job function.”
“All investments are subject to risk, and investments in foreign products are further subject to regulatory risks of other jurisdictions. To manage these risks for Central Provident Fund (CPF) members, the CPF Board only includes products under the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) after carefully considering factors, such as investment track records and investment-related fees. Additionally, these products must be registered with the local authorities. CPF members can already invest directly in a number of US equity index funds under the CPFIS today. Product providers, including other US equity index fund managers, can apply for their products to be included under the CPFIS, depending on their commercial considerations, and the CPF Board will assess accordingly.”
“The annual value criterion is based on the residential address of the applicant. This would include applicants who own the property and also those who are renting the property that they are residing in. This approach is in line with the intent behind using the annual value criterion as a proxy to determine households’ means or wealth and is also aligned with the approach undertaken by other means-tested schemes like the GST Voucher scheme and the Workfare Income Supplement scheme.”
“From 2019 to 2024, foreign-owned firms hired around 60% of Singapore residents who earned a gross monthly income of above $12,500. Around 88% of these residents work in the Services sector. Financial and Insurance Services make up around 30 percentage points, Wholesale and Retail Trade make up around 18 percentage points, and Professional Services make up around 17 percentage points. These proportions have remained stable since 2019.”
“Migrant workers issued with Special Passes by the Ministry of Manpower have access to Singpass accounts. They can track the status of their salary or work injury claims via the Employment Practices and Progressive Workplaces Shared Platform (EmPOWER) online. Stateless persons issued with Special Passes by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to reside in Singapore do not have Singpass accounts. Workers who are on Special Pass and without Singpass accounts can approach their case officers for any assistance.”