Singapore’s employment law landscape shifted significantly when Parliament passed the Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) in January 2025 — converting decades of soft-touch guidance from the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) into hard statutory obligations. With commencement expected by end-2027 per the Ministry of Manpower, HR managers and employers now have a defined window to prepare. Understanding what the WFA requires — and acting before commencement — is the prudent path.
This guide explains what the Workplace Fairness Act 2025 does, who it protects, what employers must put in place, and the practical steps HR teams should begin taking now.
What the Workplace Fairness Act 2025 Does
The Workplace Fairness Act 2025 is Singapore’s first standalone statute prohibiting workplace discrimination. Until now, anti-discrimination norms in Singapore have been enforced through TAFEP’s Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which are persuasive but carry no legal force. The WFA changes this fundamentally: violations will carry statutory consequences for employers, including corrective orders and financial penalties imposed by MOM.
The Act was introduced in two legislative tranches. The first Workplace Fairness Bill — covering the scope of protections and employer obligations — passed Parliament on 8 January 2025. The Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill — establishing the tribunal and enforcement pathway — passed Parliament on 4 November 2025. Together, they form a comprehensive statutory regime. The Ministry of Manpower has confirmed commencement by end-2027, giving employers approximately 18 months from now to build compliant systems.
Which Characteristics Are Protected Under the Workplace Fairness Act 2025
The WFA protects employees and job applicants against discrimination on eleven grounds: age, disability, mental health condition, ethnicity and race, nationality, religion, sex, marital status, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, and language ability.
Several of these extend beyond what most employers have historically managed. The explicit protection of language ability means that excluding candidates because they do not speak a particular language — unless the requirement is genuinely tied to the role — is potentially discriminatory. The protection of caregiving responsibilities is new ground: employers must not treat an employee or applicant less favourably because they care for a child, an elderly parent, or a person with a disability.
On nationality: the WFA prohibits individual-level discrimination against a candidate because of their nationality. This co-exists with the COMPASS framework for Employment Pass applications, which rewards employers for maintaining nationality diversity across their local workforce as a portfolio-level criterion. The two operate at different levels — COMPASS is a hiring-portfolio incentive; the WFA is an individual-decision constraint. Maintaining a diverse workforce for COMPASS purposes is lawful; rejecting a specific candidate purely because of their nationality is not.
Employer Obligations: What the WFA Requires You to Put in Place
Written Internal Grievance Process
Every employer must implement a written internal grievance process. Per the MOM press release on the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill, the written commitment must cover four elements: the employer will inquire into and review each grievance raised; the employer will inform the employee in writing of the outcome; written records of each inquiry and review must be maintained; and information relating to any grievance — including the complainant’s identity — must not be disclosed unless reasonably necessary.
This process must be communicated to all employees. A standalone Grievance Handling Policy, distributed through employment contracts or the staff handbook, is the practical standard. Reviewing your employment contract clauses to cross-reference the grievance process is a sensible preparatory step.
Fair Recruitment Practices
Job advertisements may not include discriminatory requirements tied to any protected characteristic, unless a genuine occupational requirement exists and is documented. A role requiring the ability to communicate in Mandarin because it involves advising Mandarin-speaking clients is likely justifiable; a blanket preference for “Singaporeans or PRs only” in a role that any Employment Pass holder could perform equally well may not be. HR teams should audit all job posting templates and remove language that could trigger WFA liability.
No Retaliation Against Complainants
Employers may not take adverse action against any employee who raises a discrimination complaint in good faith. Adverse action includes termination, demotion, pay reduction, exclusion from training, and denial of promotion. The prohibition applies even where the underlying complaint is ultimately not upheld at mediation or adjudication.
The Dispute Resolution Pathway
The WFA establishes a mandatory sequential resolution process. An employee must first raise the matter internally, using the company’s grievance process. If unresolved, the employee must file a mediation request with the Commissioner for Workplace Fairness before any claim can be adjudicated. This mandatory mediation step is designed to resolve the majority of disputes without litigation.
If mediation fails, claims up to SGD 250,000 go to the Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT), where parties have no right to legal representation, keeping costs low. Claims above SGD 250,000 are heard by the General Division of the High Court. MOM retains independent enforcement powers to investigate serious breaches and impose corrective orders or penalties without a complaint being filed.
Small Employer Exemption
Businesses with fewer than 25 employees are expected to receive a partial or full exemption from certain WFA obligations at commencement. MOM has indicated the intent to avoid disproportionate compliance costs for smaller employers. However, the precise scope of the exemption is not yet finalised and may be narrower than anticipated. Small employers should prepare for full compliance and update their position once the commencement regulations are gazetted.
What HR Managers Should Do Now — Before 2027 Commencement
Eighteen months is a workable window if action begins now. The following sequence is recommended.
First, audit job advertisements. Review all active and archived job postings for language that references protected characteristics without a documented occupational justification. Remove or update non-compliant language immediately — the WFA’s prohibition on discriminatory advertising will apply from commencement, and habits formed before commencement are difficult to change overnight.
Second, draft and implement a Grievance Handling Policy. The policy must meet the four statutory requirements described above. Distribute it to all employees and obtain written acknowledgement. Integrate WFA record-keeping into your MOM compliance calendar so that grievance records are maintained as a standing obligation alongside your pass renewals, levy payments, and IR21 filings.
Third, train hiring managers. Anyone involved in recruitment decisions — line managers, HR business partners, department heads — should receive structured training on what constitutes discrimination under the WFA and how to document hiring decisions for audit purposes. Written interview notes and structured scoring frameworks protect both the employer and the candidate.
Fourth, review Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance. The WFA creates new legal exposure. Discuss with your insurer whether existing EPL policies cover WFA-related claims and whether coverage limits remain appropriate given the new statutory framework.
Fifth, consider the broader compliance picture. The WFA arrives alongside other significant employer obligations: the Local Qualifying Salary rising to SGD 1,800 from 1 July 2026 affects S Pass and Work Permit quota calculations; and from 1 January 2027, EP and S Pass qualifying salaries rise further, raising the threshold for new foreign professional hires. WFA preparation should be built into your broader compliance planning, not treated as an isolated project.
TAFEP Guidance Remains Relevant in the Interim
Until the WFA commences, TAFEP’s Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices remain the operative framework. The guidelines cover the same broad territory — fair recruitment, equal opportunity, and employee development — and employers found to breach them may face advisory visits or reporting to MOM. Building WFA-compliant processes now means your organisation will simultaneously exceed the current TAFEP standard, reducing interim risk as well.
Conclusion
The Workplace Fairness Act 2025 is the most significant change to Singapore’s employment law framework in a generation. What was previously aspirational TAFEP guidance becomes statutory duty by end-2027. For HR managers overseeing a workforce that includes Employment Pass holders, S Pass holders, and local employees, the practical imperative is clear: audit your job postings, implement a written grievance process, train your hiring teams, and integrate WFA compliance into your annual regulatory calendar before the commencement date arrives.
If your organisation needs support navigating the WFA alongside your work pass portfolio — including Employment Pass applications, S Pass quota management, and renewal planning — Singapore Employment Agency offers licensed, end-to-end advisory services. For corporate secretarial and incorporation support, Raffles Corporate Services can assist your organisation across its Singapore compliance obligations.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency