Complaints of and Action Taken against Employment Discrimination
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Assoc Prof Walter Theseira’s inquiry on whether retail sector employers violate Tripartite Guidelines by refusing applicants wearing religious articles and the statistics on such complaints and enforcement. Minister Mrs Josephine Teo stated that recruitment must be merit-based and religious wear is generally permitted unless operational or safety requirements necessitate a dress code. TAFEP received 16 complaints regarding religious articles over five years, representing less than 1% of total complaints and often stemming from insensitive communication. All affected employers heeded TAFEP’s advice and rectified their practices, while Minister Mrs Josephine Teo noted that TAFEP investigates all reports of workplace discrimination. The Ministry of Manpower takes enforcement actions against substantiated complaints to ensure all employers abide by the principles in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
Transcript
29 Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the refusal by employers in the retail sector to interview and/or hire a qualified job applicant on grounds that he or she wears articles of religious faith constitutes a violation of the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices; (b) how many complaints of discrimination on these grounds has TAFEP received in the past five years, broken down by industry; and (c) what actions has TAFEP taken against these employers.
Mrs Josephine Teo: All employers are expected to abide by the principles of fair employment practices set out in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), which makes it clear that recruitment and hiring practices are to be based on merit and the ability to perform the job. Religious wear should generally be allowed at workplaces, unless employers have uniform or dress code requirements which are suited to the nature of their work, or for operational and safety reasons. Such requirements should then be communicated and explained clearly to employees as well as job applicants.
In the past five years, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) received a total of 16 complaints related to the wearing of religious articles, or less than 1% of all the complaints received. Table 1 shows the breakdown by industry of the complaints received.
Most complaints arose due to insensitivity on the part of the employer or interviewer in communicating company’s dress code and practices. All the employers have heeded TAFEP's advice and made the necessary rectifications to their employment practices.
TAFEP investigates all complaints of workplace discrimination, including unreasonable restrictions against religious wear, and will work with the Ministry of Manpower to take enforcement actions against substantiated complaints.