Employment Act for Managers and Executives: What Protections Apply in Singapore?

Yes. For Employment Act managers and executives of any salary, the core provisions have applied since 1 April 2019, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). That means minimum annual leave, paid public holidays and sick leave, timely salary payment and statutory protection against wrongful dismissal. However, Part 4 of the Act, which deals with hours of work, rest days and overtime, does not cover all managers or executives.

This difference explains many workplace disputes. A manager may be fully protected on leave and salary timing, yet have no statutory overtime right. This guide explains the Employment Act managers and executives position, using MOM’s own pages, and shows how the Employment Act managers and executives rules play out in practice. Information is accurate as at 4 November 2026.

Employment Act managers and executives: core provisions

In a 2021 written reply, MOM stated that all managers and executives (M&Es) are covered by the Employment Act for the core provisions. It explained that coverage was extended in 2014 to M&Es earning up to SGD 4,500, and that the salary threshold was removed in 2019. You can read the reply on MOM’s website.

MOM’s amendments page lists the core provisions now covered:

• Minimum annual leave.
• Paid public holidays and sick leave.
• Timely salary payment.
• Statutory protection against wrongful dismissal.

Practical guides on these topics include our statutory annual leave guide and the employer note on public holidays in 2027.

Who counts as a manager or executive

MOM describes a manager or executive by what the person does. The role involves executive and supervisory functions. Examples include recruitment, discipline, termination, performance assessment and reward decisions, formulating enterprise strategy and policy, or managing and running the business.

MOM also includes professionals with tertiary education and specialised knowledge whose terms resemble those of managers or executives. Its examples include advocates and solicitors, chartered accountants, and practising doctors and dentists.

In practice, a job title alone does not settle the question. A “manager” with no authority over hiring, discipline or budgets may be closer to a rank-and-file employee. Because MOM’s description turns on functions, document the real duties in the contract and in any job description.

Where Part 4 stops

Part 4 of the Employment Act covers rest days, hours of work and other conditions of service. According to MOM’s coverage page, the salary caps are:

Group	Monthly basic salary cap for Part 4
Workman (mainly manual labour)	SGD 4,500 or less
Non-workman covered by the Act	SGD 2,600 or less

MOM states that Part 4 does not cover all managers or executives. Basic salary excludes overtime, bonus, annual wage supplement, productivity incentive payments, reimbursements for special expenses and all allowances. Our note on who is legally a workman for overtime shows how the manual-labour test works.

Who is outside the Employment Act

MOM says the Act does not cover seafarers, domestic workers, and statutory board employees or civil servants. Their terms follow their employment contract or other legislation.

What this means for a wrongful dismissal claim

Wrongful dismissal claims no longer go to the Minister for Manpower. MOM states that these claims are heard by the Employment Claims Tribunals, and that employees must first register the claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for mediation. The strict time limit is one month after the last day of employment, as TADM’s filing guidance states. Our guide to the claims process and time limits covers the steps.

Checklist for employers

1. Identify which roles are genuinely managerial or executive, using MOM’s functional description.
2. Confirm that contracts for these roles do not give less than the core provisions.
3. Issue key employment terms and itemised payslips. See our guide to key employment terms and itemised payslips.
4. Do not assume that managers are outside overtime rules without checking the Part 4 position.
5. Review the handbook for conflicts. See our note on employee handbook liability.

Checklist for managers and executives

1. Keep your contract, payslips and leave records.
2. Check whether your basic salary and role fall within Part 4.
3. Raise a dispute early, because wrongful dismissal time limits are short.
4. If you need advice on your contract, seek it before signing or resigning.

Three illustrative profiles

The following examples are simplified. They show how the tests work, not how a particular case will be decided.

Profile	Likely position
Marketing manager on SGD 6,000 a month who hires, appraises and sets budgets	Covered by the core provisions. Part 4 is unlikely to apply because the role is managerial
Team lead on SGD 2,400 a month with no authority over hiring, discipline or pay	May be a non-workman within the SGD 2,600 Part 4 cap, so Part 4 may apply
Warehouse supervisor who spends more than half the working day doing manual work	MOM treats supervisors of manual workers who do manual work for more than half their time as workmen, with a SGD 4,500 cap

The middle profile shows why titles mislead. A person called a team lead may have no executive functions at all.

Frequently asked questions

Does a high salary take a manager outside the Employment Act?

No. MOM’s amendments page says managers and executives with a monthly basic salary of more than SGD 4,500 became covered from 1 April 2019. Salary alone no longer removes the core provisions.

Can a contract promise less than the core provisions?

Do not assume so. If a contract gives less than the statutory minimum, take advice before relying on it. Our handbook guide explains how conflicts between policy and law can create liability.

Where does a manager complain about unpaid salary?

Start at TADM. The same route applies to wrongful dismissal, as explained in our guide to the claims process.

Next steps

Employment terms for senior hires need careful drafting, particularly for foreign professionals on work passes. To discuss hiring or contract questions, contact the licensed team at Singapore Employment Agency. If you need legal advice, we can introduce you, with your consent, to an independent law firm.

The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency

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