Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Legislation moves closer to reality

Singapore is poised to implement new workplace fairness law, following the introduction of the Workplace Fairness Bill in Parliament on 7 January 2025. Minister of Manpower Dr Tan See Leng described the legislation as a carefully balanced framework, designed to ensure equitable treatment for jobseekers and employees while supporting business needs.

Speaking during the bill’s first reading, Dr Tan emphasised the government’s meticulous approach in drafting the legislation, which involved studying international best practices and consulting with key stakeholders. “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,” he stated.

The proposed legislation seeks to address workplace discrimination without disrupting Singapore’s “hard-earned harmony.” Plans for the law were first announced in 2021, with recommendations from a tripartite committee accepted in 2023. If passed, the Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL) will be implemented between 2026 and 2027.

The first of two bills under the WFL framework, this legislation focuses on substantive rights and obligations. It prohibits adverse employment decisions based on five protected characteristics, namely age; nationality; sex, marital status, pregnancy, and caregiving responsibilities; race, religion, and language; and disability and mental health conditions.

These protections apply across all stages of employment, including hiring, appraisals, promotions, training and dismissal. Exemptions will be made for genuine occupational requirements.

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Dr Tan highlighted the importance of the legislation in preventing discrimination, particularly as Singapore navigates an ageing workforce and economic challenges. He noted that fair treatment of locals and tackling underrepresentation—such as the participation of women in certain fields—are critical objectives.

The second bill under the WFL framework, which will outline mechanisms for addressing workplace discrimination claims, is still under development. It aims to empower the Employment Claims Tribunals to handle such cases.

Dr Tan underscored that the proposed law is part of a broader effort, complementing existing Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. “This approach of having a law to cover certain protected characteristics with a more flexible tool to cover all other characteristics is quite unique,” he said, reported The Business Times.