SINGAPORE — Singapore's approach to maintaining workplace harmony emphasises resolving disputes through mediation rather than litigation, which has worked well and must continue with the new set of laws being proposed against workplace discrimination, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Wednesday (March 8).
MOM was responding to feedback from the Association of Women for Action and Research , which had recommended on Tuesday that certain claims under the new laws be exempted from the requirement for mediation first before one files a claim with the Employment Claims Tribunals.are set out in an interim report by a committee on workplace fairness made up of representatives from the National Trades Union Congress , the Singapore National Employers Federation and MOM.
But it is not always appropriate, it added. Due to the distress caused by facing discrimination, many of its clients who have faced workplace discrimination do not want to face their employers and some also report feeling re-traumatised, distressed and humiliated after their mediation sessions.
During the mediation, the focus will be on correcting errant practices by the employer and mending the relationship between the company and worker where possible. In the report, the committee recommended that the new laws protect against workplace discrimination due to:Race, religion and languageAware proposed that"disability" be defined as"physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which hinders a person’s full and effective participation in society and substantially limits one or more major life activities".
A survey it conducted last year found that 68 per cent of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer persons faced workplace discrimination in the last five years, compared with 56 per cent of those who do not identify as LGBTQ+, the group said.Aware suggested that the laws specify time limits for each stage of the grievance-handling process, so that employees are aware of what to expect once they file a report.
This was in response to a recommendation empowering the Employment Claims Tribunal to strike out false claims or award costs of up to S$5,000 to an employer who has been falsely accused. This could be when a worker persists with a claim of workplace discrimination, despite having no evidence, the committee had said.
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