Singapore: Workplace anti-discrimination legislation passed

Employer Action Code: Act

The Workplace Fairness Act is one of two laws to introduce Singapore's first Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL). The act implements the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices' 2023 anti-discrimination recommendations, which are based on and enhance the non-binding Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (see our April 2023 article: Singapore: Developing workplace anti-discrimination legislation for more details). The bill was approved by Parliament on January 8, 2025. A second WFL bill — addressing unfairness claims that would amend the Employment Claims Act — is expected during 2025. Both laws are currently expected to take effect in either 2026 or 2027.

Key details

From an employer's perspective, following are the Workplace Fairness Act's main provisions:

• The act will apply to all companies with 25 employees or more; while smaller employers will initially be exempt from its provisions, the government has indicated it will review covered employers five years after the WFL takes effect
• Discrimination in all aspects of employment on the basis of nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy status, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language, disability and mental health conditions would be prohibited; sexual orientation and gender identity are protected characteristics under the bill
• Any exceptions to the protections must be justified for clear business reasons (such as physical job requirements) or for reasons of positive discrimination in favor of those belonging to a disadvantaged group (i.e., older workers, the disabled and local nationals)
• Covered employers will need to develop procedures for the handling of grievances and provide them to staff; the act prohibits all forms of retaliation against employees who bring discrimination claims

Employer implications

Even though the existing guidelines (which were first issued in 2007) form the basis of the act's provisions and the WFL in general, employers should familiarize themselves with the act's requirements to ensure compliance. The Ministry of Manpower estimates that around 60% of employers currently have formal policies and procedures addressing workplace discrimination.