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Oral Answer by Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of State for Manpower to Parliamentary Question on MOM's enforcement powers against employers with discriminatory practices on age and gender

Employment practices

Notice Paper No. 181 of 2016 for the sitting on 9 May 2016

Question No. 296 for Oral Answer

MP: Leon Perera

To ask the Minister for Manpower what enforcement powers does the Ministry deploy when investigating referrals from TAFEP about employers who may be engaging in discriminatory HR practices that are not related to nationality but to other attributes such as age and gender.

Answer

  1. We have employment laws that enforce against employers with discriminatory practices on age and gender. Under the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA), an employer cannot dismiss an employee on the grounds of age. The Employment Act (EA) and Child Co-Savings Development Act (CDCA) also protect female employees from being dismissed without sufficient cause during any stage of their pregnancy. 
  2. MOM and the tripartite partners also expect employers to implement fair and non-discriminatory employment practices in accordance with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. This is why TAFEP, as the advocate and champion for fair employment practices, takes an active role in looking into complaints of such unfair employment practices and refers cases to MOM for enforcement if found to be true. 
  3. MOM takes a serious view of all forms of employment discrimination. If employers are found to have engaged in such unfair employment practices, MOM will take appropriate enforcement actions under the RRA, EA or CDCA. MOM can also suspend their work pass privileges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. 
  4. Any employee who feels discriminated against can approach TAFEP for assistance.