Landmark Bill tackling workplace discrimination passed in Parliament

MPs unanimously back new law to give workers greater protection against biases

- Sharon Salim

A landmark Bill tackling workplace discrimination was passed in Parliament on Jan 8, with MPs present unanimously supporting the new law to give workers greater protection against biases on grounds like age and nationality.

Responding on Jan 8 to MPs' questions and suggestions on the Workplace Fairness Bill, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng told Parliament that while the Government cannot "resolve all the issues overnight", it will continue to work on the Bill and improve it over time.

He emphasised the prudent approach for the Bill, and said that while it is easy to call for a new anti-discrimination law, it is "complex and challenging" to design a Bill that strikes the right balance.

He was responding to questions by Workers' Party (WP) MP Sylvia Lim and Progress Singapore Party's Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai on why the Government took so many years to develop the Bill.

"We want a balanced approach - if it becomes untenable for businesses to operate in Singapore, this affects jobs for workers," said the minister.

Dr Tan said the Government has consulted widely and deliberated extensively to put together a balanced Bill that preserves the current workplace norms, and guards against divisions in workplaces and the society.

In a media statement after the Bill was passed, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said it supports the passing of the Bill.

Said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng: "Over the years, NTUC has pushed for stronger protection to tackle workplace discrimination, including age, sex and a level playing field for professionals, managers and executives (PMEs)."

The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) said it has held close to 40 engagement sessions since June 2023, comprising dialogues, workshops and in-house training sessions on the Workplace Fairness Legislation, reaching more than 3,000 employers.