The Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness has released its interim report, with specific recommendations for enhancements to the existing Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) and for the adoption (for the first time) of formal Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL). The Committee is expected to release its final report later in 2023, after receiving public comments, and the WFL is expected to be considered by parliament and enacted in 2024.
The Tripartite Committee’s 20 recommendations for the TGFEP and WFL include:
The enactment of legally binding legislation would strengthen enforcement powers against employers in cases of prohibited discrimination – including financial penalties. Currently, companies violating the TGFEP may face temporary suspension of work pass privileges. Draft legislation is expected to address certain additional matters not covered in the report (such as what employers would be required to do to prevent discrimination). In the meantime, employers should begin reviewing their internal policies to evaluate their alignment with the report’s recommendations.