The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests will help to unlock the potential of the local workforce.
On April 16, 2024, the Singapore Government accepted all 10 recommendations by the Tripartite Workgroup on the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (Guidelines). These mandatory Guidelines come into effect on December 1, 2024 and are intended to shape the right norms and expectations concerning flexible work arrangements. This update takes a look at the Guidelines.
Singapore is set to implement changes to its foreign work pass system, including an increase in the Employment Pass (EP) qualifying monthly salary for new applicants and renewals.
The guidelines adopt a broad definition of flexible working arrangements that employers must fairly consider and be open to offering.
The new guidelines requiring all employers to take requests from employees for flexible work arrangements will take effect from Dec 1, 2024, and will allow employees to request to vary standard work arrangements in terms of workload, working hours and place of work.
The retirement age in Singapore will increase from 63 to 64 on July 1, 2026, providing longer statutory protection for workers who wish to continue working. Simultaneously, the re-employment age will also rise from 68 to 69.
The High Court set aside interim injunctions previously granted to MoneySmart Singapore Pte Ltd that prevented a former employee from working for a rival company. The High Court agreed with the employee that the non-compete clause contained in the employment contract was unreasonable and unfair. This update discusses the High Court decision.
The rules will cover formal requests for flexible work arrangements, and the processes to submit and evaluate these, but not govern the outcome.
Companies must prove illegal acts like stealing data were committed and that these led to losses.
Are Singapore’s upcoming tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangements the answer? The question is not whether we should have flexible work arrangements, but how, says the authors.
This update looks at some of the key legal highlights over the past 3 months, across various practice areas including deals, restraint of trade, family law and intellectual property among others.
Injunctions — Interlocutory injunction
This update discusses retrenchment practices which should ideally be followed by employers in Singapore to achieve a fair balance between the interests of employers and employees.
On 8 February 2024, the Ministry for Manpower announced revisions to the compensation limits in the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 with effect from 1 November 2025. The changes are to keep pace with wage growth and rising healthcare costs. The compensation limits were last reviewed in 2020. The increase in compensation limits will enhance protection for employees.
Business groups in Johor Baru, Malaysia, have raised concerns over the state government's two-month deadline for employers to house foreign workers in registered centralised labour quarters.
Singapore's forthcoming tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangements will extend beyond traditional work-from-home setups, according to Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang.
This update looks at the criteria for the enforceability of non-compete clauses and some practical tips to consider for both employers and employees when it comes to such clauses.
This update looks at the key takeaways from a recent High Court decision in which the court dismissed an attempt by Shopee to restrain a former employee from accepting employment with a competitor, on the basis that Shopee had failed to prove that its claim against the former employee was not frivolous. This case illustrates the challenges and pitfalls employers can face when enforcing restraint of trade clauses against employees.
The Child Development Co-Savings Act 2001 has been amended to implement enhancements to parental leave schemes (as announced at Budget 2023) with effect from 1 January 2024. These include the doubling of Government-paid paternity leave and unpaid infant care leave.
The practice and shift to hybrid work has continued even after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and this has enabled employees to maintain a better work-life balance while remaining efficient and effective. This update looks at how employment practices have changed in Singapore and how the law is evolving to keep up to date with these changes.