Updates on fair employment guidelines to ensure employees are not forced to support, attend events unrelated to work

GUIDELINES on fair employment practices in Singapore will be updated in mid-February, requiring employers to “be sensitive to the diverse cultures, values and beliefs” of employees in any non-work-related events, programmes and policies.

Under the enhanced Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), employees should not be required or feel pressured to participate in such events, nor be penalised for not doing so. They should be assessed for performance and promotions based only on work-related requirements.

Support for causes should not lead to bullying, harassment or ostracism. Employers should provide a safe environment for workers to raise concerns, and have proper channels for handling grievances. They should also “demonstrate and communicate” the importance of an inclusive and harmonious workplace.

Employers and employees are doing more to show support for various causes – which may be unrelated to their business or job – at the workplace, noted National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay in a Facebook post on Monday (Jan 30).

As a result, misunderstandings and frictions can occur due to “different backgrounds and beliefs”. The new guidelines underscore the importance of building and maintaining a harmonious workplace where individuals of different backgrounds, abilities and beliefs continue to feel valued, engaged and respected, he said.

Employers are expected to abide by the fair employment practices set out in the TGFEP, including the new ones, said the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore National Employers Federation and NTUC in a joint statement on Monday (Jan 30). Employers who fail to abide by the guidelines could have their work pass privileges curtailed.

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The changes follow last November’s parliamentary debate on repealing 377A — the colonial-era law criminalising gay sex — during which labour Member of Parliament Fahmi Aliman stressed the importance of maintaining workplace harmony.

Saying that employees should be treated fairly based on merit and not face discrimination for non-job-related characteristics such as faith or identity, he called for guidelines to ensure that employees are not forced to support causes related to diversity and inclusion.

Responding then, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said that the government does not tolerate workplace discrimination and employees are protected against discrimination under the TGFEP.

“At our workplaces, employees should not feel compelled to support causes or participate in activities that do not align with their beliefs,” he said. “TGFEP is clear that an employee’s support or non-support of causes, if not relevant to job performance, cannot be used in employment decisions and performance evaluation.”

Employers seeking advice or assistance in managing workplace sensitivities, as well as employees wishing to report guideline violations, can contact the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment (Tafep). Tafep will look into the reports and refer any breaches to MOM for investigation.