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 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.
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.
Employment Law — Contract of service
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses and organisations worldwide to change how they conduct business, one of which is the introduction of remote work policies. This article looks at some of the changes to Thailand’s employment policies regarding remote working and how the country’s labour laws evolved to address this issue.
Remote working has become the norm ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses and organisations to change their work practices to accommodate the imposed restrictions and ensure the continuity of their daily operations. Nevertheless, remote working is not without its challenges. One such challenge is the issue of taxation. With the digital borders opened due to the pandemic restrictions, many workers have applied for remote work in countries they do not reside in.
Contract — Breach , Employment Law — Employees’ duties
Employment Law — Employers’ duty