Model ID: ed358920-fa10-4927-aff8-2e2883a22abd
Sitecore Context Id: ed358920-fa10-4927-aff8-2e2883a22abd;
Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir,
I rise in support of the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill. This Bill builds upon the Workplace Fairness Act passed in January this year — a milestone that made workplace discrimination unlawful in Singapore. Today’s Bill adds the second pillar: it sets out how fairness is to be applied and resolved.
It establishes a clear and compassionate process that encourages internal resolution first, followed by mediation, and, if necessary, adjudication at the Employment Claims Tribunals or the High Court. Protection and due process now go hand in hand — empowering workers to seek redress safely, swiftly, and without fear.
Fairness for Workers, Especially Women and Caregivers
Mr Deputy Speaker, fairness at work is not a slogan. For many workers — especially women, caregivers, and those in lower-wage roles — it is deeply personal. The Act’s protected characteristics, including sex, marital status, pregnancy, and caregiving responsibilities, matter to real people. I thank the Government and the Ministry of Manpower for taking this brave step to give substance and clarity to workers’ hopes for dignity, respect, and protection in the workplace.
Our women workers have written and spoken to me, sharing that even today, bias still shadows their careers. One woman was asked during an interview whether she planned to start a family — a question that had nothing to do with her job.
Another, a manager, found her duties reduced when she returned from maternity leave and a daughter who took time off to care for her elderly parent told me her performance appraisal never recovered after she returned.
These stories show why the Workplace Fairness Act is necessary. They send a clear message that no worker should face adverse treatment because of gender, age, or family responsibilities — and that the law now stands behind them. Yet, Mr Deputy Speaker, while fairness is a noble aspiration, it must be translated into language and action to mean something to our people. We must empower our workers to name what feels unjust and to stand up for what is right — especially those who may not yet have the words, knowledge, or confidence to do so.
Indeed, the quiet feelings I mentioned — the uneasy thought that one’s family plans might have cost a job offer; the sense of being sidelined after having a baby; or the discouragement of seeing targets met but promotions withheld — are all very real experiences. The question is: how do workers give words to these feelings, and how do they know when an act of bias becomes true discrimination?
Turning Silence into Voice
Between 2024 and the first half of 2025 of over 3,000 individual workplace grievances recorded by the Labour Movement, around 40 involved pregnancy, discrimination, or harassment. Each number represents a worker who found the courage to speak up — and perhaps many more who still remain silent.
One resident from Punggol told me this: “Ms Yeo, my boss said he wanted younger people, fresh faces. I never complained — I don’t know how to write, and I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
Mr Deputy Speaker, these are not isolated cases. They are common experiences of silence, of quiet resignation. That is why it is critical that this Bill requires employers to establish proper grievance-handling systems and to protect employees from retaliation when they raise concerns. For the less resourced or less articulate, this provides not just a process — but a safe channel to be heard.
I appreciate that by requiring mediation first and limiting formal legal representation, the Bill levels the playing field. It prevents “David versus Goliath” situations where legal resources might otherwise determine the outcome. Still, many workers may not know how to use these rights. They may not know how to file a grievance, record evidence, or represent themselves before a tribunal. That is where the Labour Movement — and our unions — play a vital role.
The Role of Unions and a Story of Fairness
Unions help workers frame their cases clearly, mediate early before conflicts escalate, and provide protection against power imbalance. Allow me to share Kelly’s story — not her real name — a resident in my Punggol constituency and an NTUC union member. Kelly had just signed an offer for a full-time job when she discovered she was pregnant. Out of integrity, she informed her future employer. She was told the offer would be changed to a two-month contract or made part-time instead. Kelly felt something was wrong but could not quite put it into words. When she sought NTUC’s help, we discovered the employer had attempted to avoid maternity benefits — unaware that part-time employees are equally entitled after three months of service. With union support, Kelly left the arrangement without penalty and later found meaningful work as an educarer near her home in Punggol.
Had this Bill been in place, Kelly could have sought redress for pre-employment discrimination under this law.
Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin please,
这项法案对我们基层工友尤其重要。 很多工友在面对工作上的不公平时，并不是不敢讲，而是不知道要怎么讲，也不懂得要向谁反映。 正因为如此，工会的角色更加关键，工会可以帮助他们把那种” 觉得哪里有一点不太对” 的感觉, 转化成事实和语言，让问题说得更清楚，讲得更有理. 工会也可以教导他们如何记录证据，如何在申诉和调解过程中表达自己。 通过这项法案，工友的声音会更有分量，申诉的途径更安全, 更明确。 当工友懂得如何表达，懂得如何运用这项法案赋予他们的权利, 公平不再是纸上有纸，而会成为他们真实能感受到的保障。
Mr Deputy Speaker, for union members and unionised workplaces, the presence of union leaders and Industrial Relations Officers gives workers courage to come forward — and gives employers confidence that matters will be handled fairly and privately. But not every worker is unionised. For those between jobs, new to the workforce, or unaware of available help, we must strengthen this ecosystem of representation. We might look towards having a longer time bar so that our people will be able to get more advice. Through union branches, tripartite committees, community access to legal clinics and education efforts, we must ensure that every worker — regardless of background or literacy — has access to justice at work. I call on the Government to continue to build resources, formal and informal, with the Tripartite, to support our workers through the grievance process.
Supporting and Reassuring SMEs
Mr Deputy Speaker, every worker deserves to work in an environment free from discrimination and unfair practices. But I recognise that implementing new requirements can be challenging for smaller companies — especially those without HR teams or resources.
Many SME owners have shared with me their concerns that this Bill could open them to frivolous or vexatious complaints, but they remain deeply committed to fairness. Our SME owners run lean operations, treat staff like family, and work side by side with their teams. For such employers, an unfounded accusation can cause distress — not just financially, but personally.
I therefore welcome the safeguards in this Bill — requiring credible evidence before formal investigation, encouraging early mediation, and ensuring confidentiality in proceedings. These mechanisms protect both workers and employers, deterring bad faith claims while preserving trust.
However, SME resourcing remains a challenge. In a 2022 survey by NTUC Women & Family team and the PAP Women’s Wing of 3,000 respondents, just 1 in 3 respondents shared that their companies have communicated policies against workplace discrimination, and these were more likely to be respondents who worked in companies with more than 200 employees. Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe that most SMEs want to do right — they simply need the tools to do so. We can support them through HR advisory clinics, templates for fair employment practices, and accessible training on inclusive leadership. Compliance should not feel like a burden; and it must not add to already increasing business costs; it should be seen as a good business practice, and a high ground for companies to attract and retain a quality workforce.
That is why NTUC’s SME Partners and Women & Family units have been working with SMEs to build capability and promote gender-inclusive workplaces. Today, over 2,000 SMEs in our Labour Movement network have already committed to providing fair, progressive, and safe workplaces. Initiatives like the NTUC Better Workplace Programme — which supports wellness and breastfeeding lactation spaces — show that fairness can be lived out in everyday ways.
I hope that the Government will continue to provide templates, training, and resources to help SMEs operationalise fairness, and to recognise firms that adopt these practices early. Again, fairness should not be a compliance burden — it should be a shared standard that uplifts both workers and businesses.
Conclusion
Ultimately, fairness benefits everyone: employers gain loyal and productive teams, workers feel respected and motivated, and our Singapore society grows even more cohesive.
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I support the Bill.
