Proposed law on workplace fairness tabled in parliament to protect workers from discrimination

TAFEP and MOM received an average of 315 bias problems between 2018 and 2022.

More than half of the problems – 176 of them– were to do with citizenship, and 77 involved time. Only nine were categorised under “others”.

The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices will continue to cover problems that do not fall under the secured features.

Employers will also be required to establish dispute handling procedures to help debate quality within the organization if the law is passed.

Employers may shield employees who file allegations of discrimination or harassment from reprisal, identity theft, and criminal or civil liability, such as when employers attempt to recover damages for defamation or breach of trust.

The legislation does allow for a variety of legal actions to be taken against accidental individuals or businesses, despite the emphasis on educating businesses and maintaining a harmonious work. These include state-led legal actions for the most significant breaches, as well as preventative orders to change stereotypes and shape mindsets.

The Tripartite Committee’s statement on office justice outlined several examples of vulnerabilities. A company may receive a adjustment order for its first offense by posting a job advertisement that favors women because it believes that women perform better in selling positions.

On the other end of the spectrum, a business may be required to give a financial penalty if it favors employees of one citizenship for offers despite some ‘ high performance. If the business reacts against employees who complain about unfair practices, MOM did take action as well.

The range of penalties, according to the Singapore National Employers Federation ( SNEF), will be better than what is currently available, where businesses are most frequently subject to work pass restrictions, which are known as “blunt tools.”

Mobility IN MATTER OF THE Office FAIRNESS Legislation

When making career decisions, businesses will be able to take into account protected traits when having legitimate business needs.

Under the terms of the legislation, four conditions are specified: for affordable job performance, health and safety concerns, privacy concerns, and legal and regulatory concerns.

For example, an employer can acquire an individual’s fluency in a speech if the work beginning is for an interpreter.

A resort may also look for female workers to provide sexual patrons.

Companies who favor hiring native workers can also do this on a separate note.

Employers will be required to promote on MyCareersFuture, a job-hunting site geared toward Singapore citizens and permanent residents, and treat all nearby candidates reasonably when applying for work permits for foreigners, if the legislation is passed.

Businesses who choose to employ seniors or people with disabilities may also benefit from the law.

Religious organizations will be able to generate employment decisions based on their religion, while smaller businesses with fewer than 25 employees may be exempt from the policy.