Written Answer to PQ on Compliance with Tripartite Standard on Work Life Harmony

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2071 OF 2023 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 3 AUG 2023
QUESTION NO. 4886 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang

To ask the Minister for Manpower given that the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) does not track the Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony (TS-WLH) adopters’ provision of specific types of Flexible Work Arrangements and enhanced leave benefits which is a requirement under the TS-WLH, how does the Ministry verify whether a company has complied with the TS-WLH to be listed on TAFEP’s website as an adopter.

Answer:

1. Companies’ adoption of Tripartite Standards (TS), including the TS on Work-Life Harmony, is voluntary. A company would self-declare its adoption of the TS, after which the information is publicly listed on the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices’ (TAFEP) website.

2. If TAFEP receives a report on a company’s non-adherence to any TS, TAFEP will work with the company to realign the company’s policies and practices to the TS. If the company does not do so in a timely manner, TAFEP will remove public listing of the company as a TS adopter. To date, we have not received any reports of companies not adhering to the TS on Work-Life Harmony