Mental Health Declaration for Job Applications

7 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Manpower what is the Government's position on employers requiring prospective employees to declare if they have a history of mental illness and whether the Government should lead by example by removing such declarations from Public Service employment application forms for non-sensitive positions.

Mr Lim Swee Say: The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices emphasise the importance of recruiting and selecting employees on the basis of merit regardless of age, race, gender, religion, disability or family status. Job application forms should only ask for information that is relevant to assessing an applicant’s suitability for the job.

The Government requires candidates to fill in a short application form that assesses their suitability for the job. Declaration of any existing medical conditions, including mental illness, does not disqualify a candidate from being considered for a position in the Public Service. Public agencies will select the candidate with the best overall fit for the job, taking into account his skills and qualifications, relevant work experience and personal attributes.