The Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) is another legal instrument that governs WSH in Singapore. It provides injured employees with a low-cost and expeditious alternative to common law to settle compensation claims.

The WICA allows employees who have sustained injuries in work-related accidents or contracted occupational diseases to claim work injury compensation. Dependants of employees who died in work-related accidents are also eligible for compensation. Engaging a lawyer to file a WICA claim is not required and there is no cost involved in filing a work injury compensation claim with MOM.

Under the WICA, the employer (or employer’s insurer) is liable to pay the compensation regardless of who is at fault, as long as the employee suffered an injury due to an accident arising out of and in the course of his employment or contracted an occupational disease. The liability remains even after the employment has ceased or the Work Pass (of a foreign worker) has been cancelled. An injured employee can claim from either WICA or common law, but not from both.

The Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) provides injured employees with a low-cost and expeditious alternative to common law to settle compensation claims.