Update on Considerations for Default Publication of Anonymised Employment Claims Tribunal Decisions

39 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry can give an update about its deliberations on whether it will make it the default position to publish the judgment and grounds of decision for cases brought before the Employment Claims Tribunal on an anonymised basis.

Dr Tan See Leng: In general, the Executive leaves it to the Courts to decide on which judgments to publish. The Courts have determined that judgments delivered in the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) need not be published by default. Going forward, given the considerable body of case law developed since the establishment of the ECT in 2017, the Judiciary will be publishing selected ECT judgments which serve as useful reference to parties and the general public. The publication of a curated set of ECT judgments, targeted to be made available in phases from the second half of 2026, aims to provide greater awareness and a better understanding of the legal rights and responsibilities in employer-employee relationships. This in turn enhances access to justice. The Courts may also make judgments available upon request by any party and with the Courts' approval. This approach strikes a balance between helping the public understand the law and how it is applied, ensuring that the ECT continues to dispense justice in a timely manner, and maintaining the confidential nature of such proceedings.