Singapore employers must act now to prepare for the Workplace Fairness legislation and other compliance risks
The second half of 2025 and beyond marks a turning point in Singapore’s employment law landscape, with major legal shifts on the horizon that could carry lasting consequences for employers and HR professionals. Among these, the upcoming Workplace Fairness legislation (WFL) could create significant legal challenges, according to Toh Wei Yi, partner at Harry Elias Partnership.
The legislation, passed in parliament in January, will take effect in 2026 or 2027, and hold employers to a high standard.
“The WFL requires the employer to ensure that there are no discriminatory practices at all stages of employment,” Wei Yi explains. “The WFL presents the potential for increased complaints of discrimination by employees, which would also amount to breach of the WFL.”
This law covers everything from recruitment and promotion to termination decisions. HR leaders are expected to rethink how their organizations make and document employment decisions. Wei Yi warns that one of the most common missteps employers will make is poor documentation.
“Since the prohibition of workplace discrimination covers all stages of employment, including in-employment (promotion, performance appraisal), employers may need to consider and refine how decisions are made even in the in-employment stage,” Wei Yi says. “The decisions and reasons for the decision should be properly documented so as to be...
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