Knight Frank recalls ‘discriminatory’ security officer job tender, to re-issue updated requirements

KNIGHT Frank Property Management has recalled all tender documents for the provision of security services at Spring Grove Condominium, after an association representing companies in the security industry flagged that the documents included discriminatory requirements.

In a statement released to the media on Jun 20, the Security Association of Singapore (SAS) had said that a tender document issued by Knight Frank in June 2022 for the provision of security services at Spring Grove Condo included a clause discriminating against security officers based on age, and immediate removal clauses entitling the condo management or managing agent to remove security officers at their discretion.

In response to queries from The Business Times, Knight Frank noted that there was an oversight in sending tender documents that contained “erratum clauses from outdated documents”.

Knight Frank said: “Our tender documents were reviewed and updated last year according to employment best practices as laid out by the SAS.”

“Knight Frank remains committed to be a responsible business to clients and the communities in which we operate. We apologise for any misunderstanding and inconvenience caused,” it added. The property agency also said that it will re-issue fresh copies with updated clauses to the tenderers.

In its statement, SAS quoted a clause from the tender document, requiring that employed security officers “shall not be below 21 years old or more than 55 years old”.

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Another clause also required the contracted agency to “immediately remove from the Estate any security personnel whose continued employment, therein, is in the opinion of the appointed Managing Agent or its representative’s, undesirable”.

According to SAS, such policies would cause security officers to “work perpetually in a state of terror” and fear for their jobs.

Referring to a similarly discriminatory clause put out by Savills Property Management last year, SAS added: “The Tender issued by Knight Frank shows that the action taken against Savills by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has not deterred managing agents and (condo managing bodies) Management Corporation Strata Title (MCSTs) from trying to force security agencies to be discriminatory against their security officer employees under the threat of liquidated damages or other penalties.”

MOM suspended the work pass privileges of Savills, the facility management firm of Hillview Heights Condo, for including discriminatory requirements in their tender document put out in September 2021.

The association also pointed to a “glaring gap” in upcoming legislation concerning the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP), which penalises discrimination by employers - in this case security agencies - while managing agents “appear to get off with merely a warning”.

According to TAFEP guidelines as spelt out on the Tripartite Alliance Ltd (TAL) website, “employers must recruit and select employees on the basis of merit (such as skills, experience or ability to perform the job), and regardless of age, race, gender, religion, marital status and family responsibilities, or disability”. TAL is set up by MOM, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).

Employers are advised to avoid using age as a selection criterion for hiring “unless you are bound by legal or regulatory requirements. In such cases, you may state this upfront”. If the work is physically demanding, “state this requirement in the job description and avoid indicating a specific age group”, the TAL site says.

While not legally binding, the guidelines set out that employers will face scrutiny from MOM and could have their work pass privileges curtailed if employment guidelines are not followed. 

In its Jun 20 statement, SAS said: “Managing agents, if punished, will only get a slap on the wrist with the suspension of their work pass privileges. To SAS’ understanding this has little effect on managing agents as they do not rely heavily on foreign manpower.”

SAS president and Nominated Member of Parliament Raj Joshua Thomas proposes that new legislation apply the same requirements and penalties on buyers of outsourced services and their agents.

The association said: “SAS has consistently advised security agencies not to take up service contracts that contain such discriminatory and unfair clauses, and to whistleblow on such tenders and contracts.”

“SAS also calls for a dialogue with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, outsourced services trade associations, MCSTS and managing agents to ensure that service agreements are fair to outsourced workers,” it added.

The Business Times has also reached out to MOM for a response.