Summary. Singapore's Workplace Fairness Bill, passed on 8 January 2025, establishes comprehensive anti-discrimination measures across organizations. The legislation protects employees against discrimination based on 11 characteristics, including age, nationality, gender, and mental health conditions. Implemented in two phases, the bill requires employers to develop grievance procedures and prevents workplace reprisals. While businesses with fewer than 25 employees are initially exempt, full compliance will eventually be required. Phase 2, expected later in 2025, will outline specific rules for discrimination claims and penalties.
There are more than 95% of discrimination complaints received by TAFEP and MoM, according to a speech by the Singapore Minister for Manpower. This and many other complaints form the basis of the Workplace Fairness Bill.
Workplace harassment in Singapore is expected to reduce as this legislation establishes both work environment inclusivity and diversity. As an HR professional, what are the impacts of this development? The bill is more than basic compliance with new regulations; it provides you an opportunity to build a fair workforce that improves employee morale and productivity.
Let’s take a look at all you need to know about Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Bill and how you can make it work for your company and keep it going as an HR practice.
What is the Workplace Fairness Bill?
The Singapore Parliament passed the Workplace Fairness Bill and received the approval on 8 January 2025. This bill was created to establish a fairer work environment that tackles discrimination among all organizations and improves workplace culture.
Employees will receive protection against workplace discrimination through 11 defined characteristics, including:
- Age
- Nationality
- Gender
- Marital status
- Pregnancy status
- Caregiving responsibilities
- Race
- Religion
- Language ability
- Disability
- Mental health conditions
Read next: What is SG Enable? Tools for Building a More Equitable Working Environment in Singapore
The implementation of the Workplace Fairness Bill will occur in two phases:
Phase 1
The initial stage of this policy received a parliamentary review on 12 November 2024. This part of the bill shows essential anti-discrimination measures and determines employer duties:
- Employers should refrain from making negative career decisions, including hiring, promotional opportunities, and terminations, due to protected characteristics of employees.
- Organizations must develop operational procedures to handle employee grievances that seek discrimination resolution.
- Employees can maintain protection from workplace reprisals after reporting discriminatory behaviors to their employers.
This phase serves as the foundation for better workplace equality as it strengthens the established protocols together with clear procedures to provide employees with proper channels for reporting workplace concerns.
Phase 2
This phase states specific rules for submitting workplace discrimination claims along with regulations, evidence and solutions available. The guidelines will specify what penalties employers face when they fail to follow fair employment rules so they remain accountable and support equitable job practices.
What is the timeline for the Workplace Fairness Bill in Singapore?
Phase 1 of the Workplace Fairness Bill in Singapore was officially passed on 8 January 2025. As we’ve explained, this phase is to lay the groundwork to fight against workplace harassment Singapore and discrimination in the country.
Phase 2 is expected to be introduced later in 2025. Although by 2026 or 2027, employers are expected to have taken enough time to adjust their HR practices and align with the new bill.
What are the key points of the Workplace Fairness Act?
1. Prohibits discrimination against employees.
The Workplace Fairness Bill prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on 11 protected characteristics, as mentioned above.
This approach is important as workplace harassment Singapore remains a significant issue, with surveys indicating that two in five workers have experienced some form of harassment. It also shows the need for robust support systems like Employee Assistance Programs (EAP Singapore)
2. Employers are required to implement grievance handling procedures.
Employers are expected to establish effective grievance-handling procedures; in 2023, 63.2% of resident employees worked in firms with formal procedures to manage workplace discrimination. This is to make sure that employees have a clear and accessible process for reporting discrimination and resolving issues in a fair and timely manner.
3. Small businesses will be exempt from some requirements, but prepare for eventual full compliance.
Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees will be exempt from certain requirements initially. However, they are encouraged to prepare for eventual full compliance with the bill, as it will affect even the smallest organizations for a more equitable workplace for all.
4. Complements the TGEFP to ensure no worker is left unprotected.
This Workplace Fairness Bill also complements the existing Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), reinforcing fair employment practices so that no worker is left unprotected. These rules help to create an avenue for promoting fairness and equality in Singapore's workplaces, especially for employers in Singapore who hire foreigners.
How to prepare your HR practices for Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Bill?
To prepare your HR practices for Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Bill, here are some practical steps you can take:
1. Review policies and practices
Begin by examining every rule in your HR system along with all existing procedures, followed by the necessary adjustments required due to the new legislation. You can check the recruitment systems together with appraisal practices, promotion practices, and termination procedures, among others.
For example, if you formerly had a hiring policy that showed a preference for specific nationalities, you’ll need to reform your hiring policy by removing these preferences to fulfill the requirement of non-national discrimination in the Workplace Fairness Bill. Also, new details should also be included in your employee handbook along with clear explanations of all established policies.
2. Set up grievance-handling mechanisms
Then, proceed to create effective grievance handling procedures as mandated by the Workplace Fairness Bill. This means creating a clear process for employees to report discrimination or workplace harassment Singapore confidentially.
A good practice is adopting a web-based grievance reporting platform for employees and ensuring it is anonymous for confidentiality purposes. Companies must investigate every grievance with speed, and disclosure of the results to workers must be strictly protected from start to finish.
3. Train HR teams
Your HR team needs training sessions to familiarize them with the new requirements of the bill. For instance, if you choose to have a grievance handling officer within the team, they must learn what the bill is, how it applies and potential penalties that the company may face if they fail to comply.
This is an important part of implementing the rule; also, practical role-playing scenarios can be useful in preparing HR staff to respond appropriately to potential discrimination cases.
4. Focus on awareness and education
Some employees can be reluctant to address discrimination issues at work, which is why, as an employer, you should establish full awareness of fair workplace practices throughout your organization.
Create seminars and workshops focused on teaching personnel about protection rights under new legislation as well as workplace DEI policies. EAPs integrated into your awareness initiatives can also help with this. Through EAPs, your employees can gain access to anonymous counseling and assistance that tackles their personal and occupational difficulties like employee burnout, harassment situations or mental wellbeing. Promoting EAP Singapore services enables your organization to encourage employees to create a fairer and more positive workplace.
5. Understand exemptions
Lastly, you should familiarize yourself with any exemptions applicable to small businesses under the Workplace Fairness Bill, especially if you’re in a small organization. There’s an exemption for businesses with under 25 employees, as we stated earlier.
However, it’s still not a waste if you start being compliant with the bill, as it’ll likely extend in the future to all businesses regardless of size. You’ll be able to make sure your business is ready when that time comes and also prove to your employees that you value their overall wellbeing and progression.
Building a Fairer, More Inclusive Workplace with Omni
With the Singapore Workplace Fairness Bill in progress and slowly expanding throughout the nation, it’s time to update your HR processes. With the right tools, you can ensure a smooth transition to a more inclusive workspace.
Omni empowers HR teams with the tools they need to make simple yet impactful changes to improve accessibility within their organizations. Whether it’s accessible job postings that allow automated interview screenings and scheduling, helping you easily prioritize hiring practices for a more diverse workforce, or access to employee data to swiftly analyze payroll practices or personnel audits. Omni’s highly customizable platform equips you with the tools and systems you need to make updates, save time, and connect with your workforce.
