Statistics on Workplace Harassment in Last Three Years and Efforts to Set Up Watchlist on Employers
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns statistics on workplace harassment and the implementation of an employer watchlist, as raised by Assoc Prof Walter Theseira. Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo noted that TAFEP has engaged 22 employers who failed to properly handle harassment allegations to ensure they implement the measures within the Tripartite Advisory. She stated that a watchlist is impractical because workplace harassment involves specific incidents that lack the clearly identifiable workforce metrics used for other monitoring. Instead, the Ministry for Manpower’s policy is to revoke work pass privileges for egregious offenders who refuse to provide safe environments or improve grievance handling. So far, no cases have reached this level of severity, as the employers engaged by TAFEP have remained cooperative and receptive to guidance.
Transcript
12 Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Minister for Manpower for each year in the last three years (a) how many employers have been the subject of complaints regarding workplace harassment; (b) whether the Ministry has set up a watchlist or other measures to identify employers who have not dealt adequately with workplace harassment; (c) how many employers have been placed on such a watchlist, if it exists; and (d) how many employers on such a watchlist have received training or other help from TAFEP and successfully exited the watchlist.
Mrs Josephine Teo: With greater awareness following the global #MeToo movement in late 2017, and TAFEP's establishment of a help & resource centre for managing workplace harassment in 2019, we have seen more reports of workplace harassment where employers have been the subject of such complaints.
In each of these cases, the employer had not properly followed up on allegations of workplace harassment. TAFEP engaged the employer to educate and ensure they implement measures in the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment, including asking the employer to re-investigate the complaint, where necessary. Specifically in one of these 22 cases, as the employer was alleged to have verbally harassed the complainant, TAFEP additionally advised the employer to be more mindful of his behaviour and respectful when engaging his staff. So far, all the employers that TAFEP engaged have been cooperative and receptive to their advice.
A watchlist allows MOM to monitor specific workforce metrics of employers suspected of errant behaviours to see if they have improved their employment practices. However, workplace harassment complaints typically involve specific incidents and persons. There are no clearly identifiable metrics to monitor. A watchlist approach is therefore impractical. Instead, MOM's policy is to revoke the work pass privileges of egregious offenders, such as employers who fail to provide a safe environment for employees or refuse to improve their grievance handling processes. So far, we have not encountered a case of such severity.