Following the widespread adoption of telecommuting and staggered working hours amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the job market in Singapore has seen an increasing demand for flexible work arrangements ("FWAs"). This demand is expected to grow not just in light of Singapore's rapidly ageing population, as more employees will need to balance work with caregiving responsibilities in order to remain in the workforce — but also as employees and employers both re-examine the fundamental premise and very nature of work itself.
In a much-needed step to clarify the new normal, on 16 April 2024, the Ministry of Manpower ("MOM") launched the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement ("FWA") Requests ("FWA Guidelines"). The FWA Guidelines establish (i) how formal FWA requests should be made; (ii) how employers should consider such requests in a proper manner; and (iii) the requirement to communicate decisions on such requests in a transparent and timely manner.
Essentially, the FWA Guidelines aim to normalise FWAs in the workplace by putting in place formalised and clear processes for employees to request for them. Similar to legislation in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, they do not guide the outcome of FWA requests – employers retain the prerogative to decide on work arrangements, but are now obliged to properly consider the requests and base acceptances or rejections on reasonable business grounds. The FWA Guidelines will come into effect on 1 December 2024 and will apply to all employers.
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