Channel News Asia | Members of parliament have spoken in favour of a workplace anti-discrimination law, but called for groups such as platform workers and those with less visible disabilities to also be protected.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng tabled the Workplace Fairness Bill in November 2024, and it has now been presented in parliament for a second reading.
He said that while Ministry of Manpower (MOM) surveys have shown declining workplace discrimination over the years, this should not be taken for granted.
This is the first of two Bills on workplace fairness. A second Bill on how private employment claims can be made for workplace discrimination will be tabled later.
If passed, the legislation will be implemented sometime in 2026 or 2027.
For now, the Bill covers five categories of protected characteristics where there is “broad societal consensus.” Together, they account for more than 95% of discrimination complaints received by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and MOM.
These include:
• Age and nationality, the top two causes of discrimination reported
• Sex, marital status, pregnancy and caregiving responsibilities
• The characteristics of race, religion, and language ability
• Disabilities and mental health conditions.
Some have called for the broadening of the definition of disability in the Bill, which now covers autism, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and sensory disabilities. This excludes individuals with learning disabilities like dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and conditions like cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.
Meanwhile, others have said outsourced workers and freelancers, including platform workers, may be an underserved segment of workers.
Although sexual orientation and gender identity or expression are not explicitly covered, any employer who runs afoul of the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) should be investigated and can have enforcement actions taken against them.
MPs on both sides of the House also highlighted that the Bill does not mandate reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities (PWDs).
Reasonable accommodation refers to necessary and appropriate modifications or adjustments provided to people with disabilities at all stages of employment. For example, an employer may provide ramps for wheelchair users or assistive technologies such as screen readers for the visually impaired.
Calls were made that, if immediate legislation for reasonable accommodation is not feasible, a clear road map aiming for full implementation by 2030 should be established.
— Accurate at time of publication | January 2025
What you’ll get: