Nicholas Ngo of Simmons & Simmons on why workplace discrimination will now be actionable, what the SGD 250,000 figure actually reveals, and why end-2027 should be seen as a build period, not a grace period
Singapore's Parliament recently passed the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill, completing the second part of landmark legislation that will make workplace discrimination actionable for the first time in the country's employment law history. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) aims for the complete Act to take effect by the end of 2027.
The Bill establishes how discrimination disputes will be resolved, from mandatory internal grievance processes to mediation and eventual adjudication.
The Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) will handle claims up to Singapore dollars (SGD) 250,000 (approximately United States dollars (USD) 192,000), while the High Court will hear claims exceeding that threshold.
To understand what this legislation represents for Singapore's employment landscape and what employers must prepare for before end-2027, HRD Asia spoke with Nicholas Ngo, Managing Associate at Simmons & Simmons JWS Pte Ltd.
The significance of the Workplace Fairness Act extends beyond its technical provisions, Ngo explains. It represents a fundamental shift in Singapore's approach to employment regulation.
"Singapore has just crossed a threshold it can't uncross. For the first time, workplace discrimination isn't just unfair, it will...
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