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Singapore: Public consultation on approach for resolving workplace fairness disputes and procedures for making workplace fairness claims

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In brief

In January 2025, Parliament passed the Workplace Fairness Act 2025, which seeks to protect employees against workplace discrimination by prohibiting adverse employment decisions based on certain protected characteristics. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced plans to introduce a second Workplace Fairness Bill by end-2025 (“Second Bill”) to establish procedures for making workplace discrimination claims.

Public consultation by MOM

MOM is currently seeking public feedback on key aspects of the Second Bill, specifically:

  1. The approach for amicable and expeditious resolution of workplace fairness disputes
  2. The judicial forum to hear workplace fairness claims
  3. The representation of parties by unions for workplace fairness claims

Feedback received will be considered by MOM in drafting the Second Bill. For more details, please refer to MOM’s consultation paper which can be accessed here.

Invitation to participate

This consultation presents a valuable opportunity to engage directly with MOM on shaping the future framework for workplace fairness claims. The Second Bill will govern how such claims are processed and resolved going forward.

We are considering submitting feedback to MOM, including views on:

  • The proposed expansion of the Employment Claims Tribunal’s jurisdiction to claims up to SGD 250,000
  • The proposed restriction on legal representation before the Employment Claims Tribunal

You may wish to provide feedback directly to MOM at this link. Alternatively please feel free to share your feedback with us and we will consider your feedback in the provision of our feedback to MOM. If you wish to share your feedback with us, please do so by 17 September 2025 (as the consultation will close on 19 September 2025).

Please feel free to reach out if you wish to discuss.

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Author

Celeste is a principal in our Dispute Resolution and Employment Practice Groups. Her practice encompasses corporate and commercial dispute resolution, investigations and compliance. She has significant experience acting for global clients in cross-border disputes and advising clients on ethics & compliance and regulatory issues in the context of risks analysis and mitigation and cross-border investigations. Celeste also has a particular focus in employment, particularly contentious employment work and employee investigations.
Celeste has been recognised as a 'Litigation Star' in the Labor and Employment space by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2023 and has been ranked Band 1 in Employment in Singapore by Chambers Asia-Pacific since 2019 to date. A client has commended Celeste for being "a fantastic partner who knows our industry well and has been our first contact for external legal work for many years." Celeste is also ranked as a Leading Individual in Labour and Employment in Singapore by Legal 500 Asia Pacific since 2019 and noted by clients as "an experienced litigator with a very sound knowledge of the law, who is also able to consider the client’s commercial concerns when providing advice" and in the foreign firms section as "great at connecting her entire network when the client needs additional service outside Singapore."

Author

Ng Zhao Yang is a principal in the Employment Practice Group in the Singapore office. He has over 10 years of experience advising regional and multinational clients on employment law and immigration matters in Singapore.
He is ranked Band 3 by Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2025 after being recognised as an “Up and Coming” individual in the Singapore Employment: Domestic category for 4 consecutive years prior. A client praised him for being “a key ally” of theirs, and his services as “significant”, “given the large workforce presence [they] have in South-East Asia.” He is also recognised as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 in the Singapore Labour and employment: Local firms category for the 4th consecutive year. Clients commended him as a “very switched-on and plugged in transactional employment lawyer whom [he/she] has no hesitation in recommending” and for providing “outstanding client service.”

Author

Pradeep is a Local Principal in the Dispute Resolution Practice Group in Singapore. He advises and represents clients ranging from global corporations to tech start ups and individuals across all aspects of dispute resolution, including pre-litigation strategic advice, mediation, Singapore Court litigation and international arbitration. Pradeep also regularly advises and assists clients on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment law, investigations and compliance matters.
In The Legal 500 Asia Pacific rankings 2024, Pradeep was recognised as a "key lawyer" in Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow's Dispute Resolution, International Arbitration and Employment teams, with clients commending him for being “very commercially minded” and a “superb lawyer” (The Legal 500, 2024).
Pradeep graduated from Singapore Management University's double degree programme with degrees in Economics (BSc (Econ)) and Law (LL.B.), and was placed on the Dean's List for both fields of study.

Author

Darrell Lee is an Associate in Baker McKenzie Singapore office.

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