Singapore introduces new Workplace Fairness Bill to protect Singapore employees against discrimination

A new workplace fairness bill was introduced in the Singapore Parliament on 12 November 2024 (the “Bill”).

The Bill is the first of the two bills that will be introduced and if passed, both bills are expected to take effect concurrently in 2026 or 2027 (the “Proposed Legislation”).

1. The Bill provides for protection for workers, processes for dispute resolutions and sanctions for breaches.
2. The second bill, which is expected to be introduced in 2025 will provide for claims procedures and amendments to the existing Employment Claims Act.

The Proposed Legislation aims to protect employees against discriminatory behaviour relating to employment and to establish fair employment practices. This would include provisions relating to discriminatory practices in hiring, dismissals and appraisals as well as subject errant employers to corrective action, fines, financial penalties imposed by the courts and civil lawsuits filed by the Ministry of Manpower.

The Proposed Legislation provides for certain protected characteristics which includes age, nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language ability, disability and mental health condition. It also spells out certain exceptions to these protected characteristics for example where employers are allowed to hire employees based on specific preferred traits due to the requirement of the role. In addition, it is also not considered discriminatory to prefer Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents over foreigners.

Under the Proposed Legislation, employers are also required to develop and implement grievance-handling processes and inform employees about the process. Additionally, the Proposed Legislation prohibits retaliatory actions from employers against employees who report any workplace discrimination.

There is currently no legislation providing for fair employment practices in force in Singapore. The Proposed Legislation is expected to complement and not replace the existing Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.

Once the Proposed Legislation is implemented, it is expected to positively impact Singapore’s employment landscape by providing stronger protection for employees and fostering a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

A copy of the Proposed Legislation can be found here.