Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Regulations Overview

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is the Singapore government ministry responsible for labor policies, workplace safety, employment standards, and foreign workforce management. MOM administers and enforces a comprehensive framework of employment laws, guidelines, and tripartite standards that all Singapore employers must follow.

Beyond the Employment Act (which sets baseline employment terms), MOM oversees several critical regulatory areas: fair employment practices through the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), work injury compensation, retirement and re-employment obligations, and retrenchment guidelines. Understanding this broader regulatory landscape is essential for employers operating in Singapore.

This guide provides an overview of the key MOM regulations beyond the Employment Act that every employer should know.

The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) set out the principles that all employers in Singapore must follow. While historically these guidelines were advisory, the Workplace Fairness Legislation (enacted in 2024, effective from 2026-2027 in phases) will make key provisions legally binding.

The 5 principles of fair employment:

1. Recruit and select employees on the basis of merit — skills, experience, and ability to perform the job
2. Treat employees fairly and with respect — do not discriminate based on age, race, gender, religion, marital status, family responsibilities, or disability
3. Provide equal opportunities for training and development
4. Reward employees fairly based on their ability, performance, and contribution
5. Comply with labor laws and adopt progressive HR practices

Protected characteristics (under incoming Workplace Fairness Legislation):

• Age, nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language, disability, and mental health conditions

Fair Consideration Framework (FCF): Employers must advertise job vacancies on MyCareersFuture.gov.sg for at least 14 days before applying for an Employment Pass for a foreign hire (for positions paying below $22,500/month). Failure to comply can result in curtailment of work pass privileges.

TAFEP investigations: TAFEP investigates complaints of workplace discrimination. Employers found to have discriminatory practices face penalties including work pass curtailment, barring from hiring foreign workers, and public naming.

The Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) provides a simple, low-cost framework for employees to claim compensation for work-related injuries or diseases, without needing to file a civil suit. It covers:

• All employees (local and foreign) under a contract of service, regardless of salary level
• Work-related injuries arising out of and in the course of employment
• Occupational diseases specified in the Third Schedule of the Act

Employer obligations:

• Work injury compensation insurance: Mandatory for all employees doing manual work and all employees (manual and non-manual) earning $2,600/month or less. For other employees, it is strongly recommended
• Incident reporting: Employers must report any work injury resulting in more than 3 days of medical leave or hospitalization within 10 days via MOM's iReport system
• Fatal or dangerous occurrences: Must be reported within 24 hours

Compensation amounts (current caps):

• Death: Minimum $76,000, maximum $225,000
• Total permanent incapacity: Minimum $97,000, maximum $289,000
• Medical expenses: Up to $45,000 (or $76,000 in specific circumstances)
• Medical leave wages: Capped at $35,000 (full pay for first 14 days MC, then 2/3 pay up to 12 months)

Singapore's Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA) sets the retirement and re-employment ages:

• Minimum retirement age: 63 years (increased from 62 in July 2022). Employers cannot force employees to retire before this age
• Re-employment age: 68 years (increased from 67 in July 2022). Employers must offer re-employment to eligible employees up to this age

These ages are scheduled to increase further: retirement age to 65 and re-employment age to 70 by 2030.

Re-employment obligations:

• Employers must offer re-employment to eligible employees who turn 63
• Eligibility criteria: Singapore citizen or PR, served the employer for at least 3 years, satisfactory work performance, medically fit to continue working
• Re-employment can be on a new contract with mutually agreeable terms (which may differ from the original contract)
• If the employer cannot offer re-employment, they must offer a one-off Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) of at least $15,210 (half of prevailing median monthly salary × 3.5 months)

Important: The re-employment obligation does not mean the employee must be kept in the same role or at the same salary. The employer can offer a different role, different working arrangement, or adjusted compensation — but it must be a reasonable offer. TADM and ECT can adjudicate disputes.

While Singapore law does not require employers to provide retrenchment benefits, the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment sets out strong guidelines:

Before retrenchment — explore alternatives:

• Reduce costs (non-salary expenses, management pay cuts)
• Implement temporary measures (shorter workweeks, temporary layoffs, no-pay leave by mutual agreement)
• Redeploy or retrain employees for other roles
• Implement a hiring freeze

Retrenchment benefits (advisory, not mandatory):

• The prevailing norm is 2 weeks to 1 month of salary per year of service
• Employees with fewer than 2 years of service are typically not entitled to retrenchment benefits (but many employers provide them regardless)
• Unionized companies follow the collective agreement terms

Mandatory Retrenchment Notification:

• Employers who retrench 5 or more employees within 6 months must notify MOM within 5 working days of the retrenchment date
• Notification is submitted via MOM's online system
• Must include: number of retrenched employees, terms of retrenchment, retrenchment benefits offered

Last In, First Out (LIFO): While not legally mandated, MOM advises that selection for retrenchment should be based on objective criteria and should not discriminate based on age, race, gender, or nationality. LIFO is commonly used but not the only acceptable method.

Beyond the areas covered above, employers in Singapore must be aware of these additional MOM-administered regulations:

Itemized Payslips and Key Employment Terms

• Employers must provide itemized payslips (hardcopy or electronic) within 3 days of salary payment, showing: basic salary, allowances, overtime, deductions, bonuses, and net pay
• Employers must issue Key Employment Terms (KETs) in writing within 14 days of employment, covering: job title, salary, working hours, leave entitlements, and notice period

Foreign Manpower Act

• Governs conditions for employing foreign workers on Work Permits and S Passes
• Employers must comply with work pass conditions — providing adequate housing, medical insurance, and ensuring workers are employed in the declared occupation
• Severe penalties for illegal employment of foreigners, including fines and imprisonment

Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA)

• Employers must ensure the safety and health of employees at the workplace
• Mandatory risk assessments for all workplaces
• Reportable incidents (dangerous occurrences, occupational diseases) must be reported to MOM
• Penalties for safety failures include fines up to $500,000 and imprisonment up to 2 years