Keep workplace fairness law tight, tripartite committee says in response to feedback on expanding scope
SINGAPORE: After receiving input on expanding the list of protected features, the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness recommended that the proposed law against working bias be” strongly scoped” for a start.
One of the suggested protected features that was announced in February was age and culture. Some suggested that intimate orientation, gender identity, criminal record, and other features should also be protected during open sessions.
Fundamental societal norms must be taken into account, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng stated at a press conference on Friday( August 4 ).
He emphasized that approximately 95 % of discrimination complaints are related to the protected groups, which include:
- Age
- Nationality
- Sexual orientation, marital status, conception, and parental obligations
- Language, faith, and civilization
- conditions of illness and mental wellbeing
Even if they are not specifically mentioned in the legislation, workers are still protected from all types of workplace discrimination by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices( TAFEP ), according to the report.
The committee advised keeping the legislation’s scope strongly defined in order to safeguard against the more widespread and well-known forms of discrimination, which support our main social and economic targets.
The Tripartite Committee’s last report contains 22 tips, away from 20 in the interim report, after taking open input into consideration.
According to a joint press release from the Ministry of Manpower ( MOM ), National Trades Union Congress( NTUC ), and Singapore National Employers Federation( SNEF ), the government accepted all recommendations.
According to Dr. Tan, this is a significant turning point in our efforts to create an environment that is fairer and more pleasant at work, and it will serve as strong evidence that workplace discrimination is unacceptable in Singapore.
The Tripartite Committee, which was established in July 2021, is presided over by Dr. Tan, NTUC secretary-general & nbsp, Ng Chee Meng, and SNEF president Robert Yap.
Since there are exclusions for businesses with fewer than 25 people, the proposed law does protect 75 % of all people. According to the report, mandatory counseling will be the first step in resolving issues, and judgment at the Employment Claims Tribunal will serve as the” last resort.”
Employers may want no law, according to Dr. Robert Yap, because it adds rigidity and may impede business expansion.
To stop work bias in its tracks, he said,” but we understand that appropriate action must be taken against accidental employers.”
According to Mr. Ng, the policy serves as a deterrent against unethical behavior, making it an essential first step toward an equitable work.
The work is good, so hopefully over the next five to ten years, people won’t be overly familiar with the specifics of the law.
” We may not have that amicable a workplace if we have to use legislation to enforce ,” he said.
ADDITIONAL Precision IN Meanings
The committee suggested definitions for illness, mental health conditions, maternity, and caregiving responsibilities in response to requests for more clarity on the terms of protected characteristics.
The Enabling Masterplan in Singapore will be used to define impairment.
It will include people with autism as well as those who suffer from academic, actual, or visual impairments that significantly affect their ability to perform day-to-day tasks.
Major types of diagnosed mental problems, typically accompanied by distress or impairment in crucial functions, are referred to as mental health conditions.
The law does protect women who are pregnant, taking legal maternity leave, or nursing.
Those who declare that they intend to include kids will also be safeguarded. For instance, it might be viewed as favoritism if an individual is excluded from a talent development program because she intends to get married quickly.
Anyone who takes care of a family member in want, regardless of whether they reside in individual communities, is referred to as having caring responsibilities.
Collateral DISCRIMINATION AND Abuse
The report of the bilateral committee noted that there are already legal protections in place in relation to recommendations to contain workplace abuse in the legislation. Authorities you file a report on victims.
Harassment victims may seek guidance from TAFEP, which may request that the employer conduct an appropriate, impartial investigation. & nbsp,
Additionally, direct discrimination will not be outlawed by the law because it harms those who have protected characteristics when the policy appears to be negative.
For instance, even though all employees may be required to take a pre-employment exam, older workers typically don’t do well on it. This could be considered discriminatory in an indirect way.
According to the report, such gray situations could be generally litigated and cause significant uncertainty for both employers and employees if indirect discrimination were included in the law.
Such cases may be taken up by TAFEP, who will work to find a solution.
Man caught on video hurling profanities at Shashlik Restaurant staff to contest charges
SINGAPORE: A court hearing on Thursday, August 3, heard a man’s request to challenge all four of his expenses and represent himself during the test after he was accused of using profanity toward an employee of Shashlik Restaurant. Greg Austin Lynn was seen yelling profanities and threatening to sexually abuseContinue Reading
Paraquat kit now available
PUBLISHED: 09:02 on August 4, 2023.
According to the Department of Medical Sciences( DMS ), a prototype kit intended to identify the presence of paraquat in fruit and vegetables is available for commercial reproduction by any private or public organization.
The mockup was created in collaboration with the Medical Life Sciences Institute and Bureau of Quality and Safety of Food, according to Dr. Supakit Sirilak, DMS director-general, yesterday.
He claimed that the system looks for signs of paraquat using the immunochromatography method.
He claimed that it detects Covid – 19 likewise to antigen test products. According to him, no additional tools or substances are required to obtain results from the kit, which can be applied to all varieties of fruit and vegetables to find this specific herbicide substance.
According to Dr. Supakit, results are displayed within 15 to 30 days if paraquat contaminants exceeds the permitted level of 0.005 micrograms per kilogram of the tested fruits and vegetables.
According to him, the system has passed a area study and is patented by the Department of Intellectual Property.
He added that the DMS would give users access to the kit and that it was” preparing to transfer the product method and formula to those interested[…] to reproduce ] the kit ] for general uses.”
He claimed that paraquat, an pesticides that farmers frequently use because it can produce results for less money, may be toxic to people if used carelessly on crops.
Parkinson’s disease and cancers are two risks associated with paraquat, he noted.
Chinese pet owners gear up their dogs and cats for summer swelter
SHANGHAI: Pet owners are looking for creative ways to shield their four-legged friends from the heat as conditions in China soar, so they are purchasing cooling mats, clothing, and small sun hats for dogs and cats. A public relations expert in Shanghai named Mi Jiayi spent more than 500 yuan($Continue Reading
Websites peddled research papers
4 August 2023 at 08: 37 PUBLISHED
After finding evidence that more than 100 academics affiliated with 33 universities across the country may have submitted research papers purchased online, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation( MHESI ) is taking legal action against at least five websites selling academic papers.
Supachai Pathumnakul, the lieutenant permanent secretary of MHESI, reported that 109 academics had been looked into for piracy in total. Nine scientific journals were discovered to have been purchased off the internet as of yesterday, while 21 have already been exonerated of the charge.
He claimed that investigations against the others were still ongoing.
After several instructors were discovered to have produced research papers outside of their area of specialization in an exceedingly short amount of time, authorities ordered 33 universities across the nation to investigate the veracity of the research conducted by their academic staff.
Out of the 33 colleges involved, according to Mr. Supachai, eight were not doing enough to look into the issue.
He urged the educational institutions to move quickly with their research and punish those who were found to have engaged in intellectual scam severely.
According to him, the government has also officially requested that the law file criminal charges against at least five websites that are selling a variety of research papers in contravention of the Tertiary Education Act.
The majority of people who purchased research papers online, according to the sheriff permanent secretary of knowledge, were employed by state-run institutions because their career aspirations frequently depend on the volume of research they publish.
According to Mr. Supachai, Chulabhorn Royal Academy has fired a worker whose function was discovered to include research that was purchased online.
One researcher has also been fired from Chiang Mai University, according to rector Pongrak Sribunditmongkol, who also serves as chair of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand( CUPT ). Two additional researchers are currently being looked into.
The process, which is a flagrant ethical violation, is condemned by the CUPT, he claimed.
It’s important to remember that this is not anything to take lightly. All it takes is one man, he claimed, to discredit the entire scientific community.
Anek Laothamatas, the rector of MHESI, urged universities to take legal action against any employees found guilty of or connected to scam or ghostwriting earlier this year.
Taiwan’s new MeToo laws are welcome but activists wat more
ReutersAlthough activists claim that Taiwan’s fresh sexual harassment rules are a first stage in addressing its MeToo judgment, they still fall short in some areas.
After receiving a barrage of sexual assault allegations, the Democratic Progressive Party, which was in power, hurried to tighten rules.
These led to a number of party resignations and additional accusations against other influential people, including artists.
The constitutional changes are made five weeks prior to a crucial vote.
Professor of law Carol Lin praised the changes as a parliamentary victory but cautioned that it will take time for society to break down the deeply ingrained attitudes that make physical abuse commonplace.
Despite being praised for its liberal democracy for a long time, Taiwan’s society is still heavily masculine and hierarchical.
All organizations, including earlier exempt smaller firms with at least 10 workers, must set up programs for reporting sexual harassment under the new regulations passed in a special legislative session.
Additionally, companies are required to look into every sexual harassment complaint and inform the local labor government of their findings.
If they don’t, they could receive a fine of up to 1 million New Taiwan dollars($ 31,700 ).
In the past, alleged victims had no other option but to appear in court.
According to the new laws, acts that properly punish others for rejecting person’s advances as well as the use of derogatory or insulting language against someone because of their gender will be regarded as sexual harassment.
Additionally, the statute of limitations has been expanded.
Before patients may feel empowered to intervene, Prof. Lin from Taiwan’s National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University said,” I think we need to see some” victory stories” of the new legislation taking harassers to work.”
The revisions still do not provide victims with the proper remedies when abuse occurs outside of the office, according to former Taiwanese Labour Minister Wang Ju-hsuan.
For example, some campaigners have emphasized that the new rules do not address persistent sexual abuse in religious organizations.
A system to promote witnesses to act should be set up, according to Ms. Wang, a lawyer, who also wants harsher penalties to stop” malicious retaliation.”
She told Taiwan News that” it is difficult for sufferers to give information, not to mention the threat of retaliation and stress from societal bias.”
The legal changes, according to media celebrity Anissa Chang, one of the MeToo prosecutors, are” useful in instilling anxiety” in those who abuse their authority to set on others, which she claimed is a common practice in sectors like entertainment.
Strangely,” crime, harassing actions are regarded as conventions or even as” unspoken guidelines.” She claimed that this social trend is severely distorted.
Schools are also subject to the new regulations.
Today, it is expressly forbidden for teachers to engage in intimate relationships with students under the age of 18. Fines may be imposed on teachers and administrators who fail to inform the Ministry of Education of undergraduate complaints of harassment.
According to Wang Yueh-Hao, chief executive of Chinese non-profit Garden of Hope Foundation, the new norms must be accompanied by an overhaul of female capital and sex education in schools.
It has taken so long for these patients to come ahead because it is expected that people will always follow their mothers and leaders. Like perspectives may alter, she said.
However, Ms. Wang claimed that in the last two weeks, her organization that supports victims of sexual assault has seen a 20-fold increase in cases brought by alleged victims. She sees this as evidence that Taiwan’s MeToo action, despite being long delayed, has been successful.
The movement has been credited with its motivation coming from the Netflix hit Wave Makers.
A key scene in the series, which centers on Japanese political workers preparing for an election, occurs when a party spokeswoman decides to take action after receiving complaints from female employees about being sexually harassed by coworkers. However, the revelation may be detrimental to the party.
Some Taiwanese with similar views stepped forward as a result of this.
However, the judgment has also sparked a backlash, with several people casting doubt on the alleged victims’ motivations.
Such responses serve as a reminder that cultural attitudes as well as the rules need to change, according to Ms. Lin.
The really effective changes will eventually be found in social culture and gender education. She argued that society should prevent blaming the victims.
Related Subjects
On this account, more
Ashton Asoke won’t be demolished: BMA
The engineer needs a new building permit.
PUBLISHED: 4 August 2023 at 7:08.
According to Bangkok government Chadchart Sittipunt, the beleaguered Ashton Asoke property will not be destroyed, but its engineer had re-apply for a building enable within 30 days.
At a press conference on legal enforcement on Thursday andnbsp, Mr. Chadchart, along with his deputy Wisanu Sapsompol and Surat Tirakul, the director of building control for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration( BMA ), presented potential solutions to the already-completed luxury condo.
This was the result of the Supreme Administrative Court’s retroactive invalidation of its development permit next week.
The user’s failing to secure a typical 12m-wide entry to the property was the cause of the ruling.
The Watthana area office will receive the standard construction permit withdrawal notice, according to Mr. Chadchart, from the BMA on Friday. The notice will then be delivered to the job engineer, Ananda MF Asia Asoke Co., per the court’s instructions. The business can then ask for the Ashton Asoke condo’s new design force.
The request must be submitted by the company within 30 days, though the date may get extended by up to 120 days.
Due to the six-day trip, which ended on Wednesday, Mr. Chadchart claimed that the BMA had not been in contact with Ananda.
The government insisted that the construction permit had been given strict adherence to relevant regulations by the BMA. The organization had met all implementation requirements, so the approval was given.
He added that there was no need to demolish the Ashton Asoke villas and that the residents were free to stay in the structure.
The property’s main entrance connecting to Asok Montri Road, which is located on property rented from the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand( MRTA ), is unrelated to the court decision, he claimed.
Additionally, given easy access to the property for flames vehicles in case of an emergency, the decision has nothing to do with any worries about the condo’s protection. The government added that the condominium is also not vulnerable to risks that may put it at risk of collapsing.
The BMA do check to see if the 50-story apartments could construct a different entrance that meets the necessary width using either Sukhumvit Soi 19 or 21.
According to the law, the entry must not only be at least 12 meters wide, but it must also get connected to a common route that is no wider than 18 meters.
Representatives will determine whether either soi was large enough, according to Mr. Chadchart. The project programmer will need to cover the costs if a fresh entrance needs to be built, he continued.
The BMA is establishing a board to look into the agencies that were responsible for issuing the building permit and other permits related to the condominium project.
The Ashton Asoke villas residents, according to Kulchalika Rungwara, 36, were unaware that the project was involved in a legal debate over the gate.
She claimed that she and the other tenants were not informed of the legal position by the engineer. She intends to file a claim for damages against the business.
Singapore bank OCBC posts 34% rise in Q2 profit, in line with estimates
Singapore: Oversea – Chinese Banking Corp ( OCB ) posted a 34 % increase in second-quarter net profit on Friday( Aug 4 ) that was in line with expectations, primarily driven by better income growth and partially offset by higher allowances. OCBC, which is also the second-largest provider by goodsContinue Reading
UTN ‘open’ to siding with Pheu Thai
A new government may be established” quickly.”
PUBLISHED: 06:44 on August 4, 2023.
According to UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, the Move Forward Party ( MFP) was removed from the line-up and the United Thai Nation( UTN ) Party is open to joining Pheu Thai’s coalition.
He made a suggestion that, if fully invited, the UTN might join the alliance.
Leaders of UTN and Pheu Thai gathered two weeks ago to explain the coalition’s terms and conditions.
The MFP’s proposal to better Part 112 of the Criminal Code, or the Lese Majest Law, has been cited by the UTN as evidence that it will not join forces with them.
Pheu Thai announced on Wednesday that it had revoked the memorandum of understanding that the MFP and six other political parties had signed to form a government, opening the door for an entirely new partnership under the leadership of its leader.
The group added that the MFP’s position on amending Section 112 would prevent it from joining the new coalition.
When and if the UTN is requested to join the new government, according to Mr. Pirapan, a number of factors may be taken into account.
Regardless of whether the new coalition is on the card, the UTN wants it to be formed right away.
The pro-democracy camp has criticized the UTN as a political tool for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, whose earlier departure from the party was seen as beneficial in easing the group into governing under Pheu Thai.
Additionally, Mr. Pirapan reaffirmed that the UTN opposes the creation of a minority government, claiming that an unreliable state could do more damage than good for the nation.
The UTN is currently debating whether to support a Pheu Thai prospect for prime minister.
If the UTN believes the new state and its ideologies are appropriate, it is anticipated that it will help Pheu Thai’s candidate.
Acting Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit stated that he was unaware of any official talks between his group and Pheu Thai regarding the establishment of a new government.
According to him, the Democrat Party has not yet decided whether it wants to be a part of the Pheu Thai-led partnership or no.
He insisted that the party completely adheres to its rules, which mandate that such a significant choice be made officially.
Presidential hopefuls must be very clear about the powers of the elected President: Ng Kok Song
THE VALUE OF Resources
In between speaking to the media, Mr. Ng engaged in a virtually two-hour question-and-answer conversation with the Teochew community partnership people about issues like the significance of Singapore’s resources and the function of the elected President.
The reserves help the nation’s finances in times of conflict in addition to maintaining the strength of the Sing dollars.
” I hope that Singapore won’t ever have to go to battle and that no one will invade our nation.” However, if that tragic moment arrives, we will have to rely on our reserves to ensure Singapore’s economic security and life.
The draw on resources during the COVID-19 crisis, he continued, shows that the militia support lower-income Singaporeans and help keep jobs during” really difficult” economic times.
I worked at GIC for 30 times, Mr. Ng said. In order for us to manage our own finances, I contributed to growing our resources by making wise investments in them and to establishing GIC as one of the top sovereign wealth funds in the world. We are able to spend our personal cash.
” I don’t want the resources to be wasted, and that’s why I decided to run for president so that I can contribute to defending our deposits, which are so crucial from a strategic standpoint.
Spending on” what is required ,” such as health care, education, housing, and assistance for lower-income teams, is essential to protecting the resources, he continued. & nbsp,
However, we shouldn’t spend too much. The potential is very uncertain, so we must try to save what we may, Mr. Ng said.
So, it is the president’s responsibility to ensure that the government does not overspend and, as a result, fails to save enough money for the future.
Singapore has currently been” very fortunate” to have a government that has” saved much money” since gaining its independence. The problem will arise if our state is ineffective and only wants to spend money, Mr. Ng said.
” The President must decline. If the state wants to overspend, the President has the power to reject.
The elected President is also in charge of safeguarding two different national jewels, namely the cohesion of Singapore’s populace and the presence of a strong government, in addition to being the guardian of its resources.
Traders from all over the world want to invest in Singapore because they value effective governance. Therefore, the President is in charge of safeguarding these three priceless items, he said.