TAFEP Fair Employment Declaration (Singapore)

A TAFEP Fair Employment Declaration in Singapore is a formal employer commitment document aligned with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) — issued jointly by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) through the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). The declaration confirms an employer's commitment to fair, merit-based employment practices in recruitment, selection, appraisal, training, compensation, and termination, without discrimination on grounds of age, race, gender, religion, marital status, family responsibilities, or disability.

TAFEP was established in 2006 by MOM, NTUC, and SNEF to promote the adoption of fair and progressive employment practices among Singapore employers. The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, first published in 2007 and updated periodically, set out five principles that all Singapore employers are expected to follow: (1) recruit and select employees on the basis of merit regardless of age, race, gender, religion, marital status, or disability; (2) treat employees fairly and with respect; (3) provide equal opportunity for training, development, and career advancement; (4) reward employees fairly based on ability, performance, and contribution; and (5) comply with labour laws and adopt progressive HR practices.

The Employment Act 1968 (Cap. 91) does not contain a general anti-discrimination provision comparable to the Equality Act in the UK or Title VII in the US. Singapore's approach to workplace fairness has been primarily through tripartite guidelines rather than dedicated anti-discrimination legislation. However, the government announced in 2024 the Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL), expected to come into force in 2026-2027, which will provide statutory backing for key fair employment principles, including prohibitions against discrimination in hiring and dismissal on specified protected characteristics.

Employers bidding for Singapore government contracts through the GeBIZ procurement platform (administered by the Ministry of Finance, MOF) must declare compliance with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. The Government Procurement Act (Cap. 120) and the associated procurement policies require suppliers to the Singapore Government to have fair employment practices in place, and TAFEP non-compliance can result in debarment from government procurement.

The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) — developed by NTUC and mandated by MOM for specific sectors (cleaning, security, landscape maintenance, retail, food services) — requires employers in covered sectors to commit to fair employment practices as a condition of obtaining a PWM licence. Employers found by TAFEP to have engaged in discriminatory practices may face administrative penalties, including restriction of work pass privileges by MOM. The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and the Employment Act 1968 (Cap. 91) govern the core requirements for this type of document.

A TAFEP Fair Employment Declaration is needed whenever a Singapore employer must formally confirm its commitment to fair employment practices, whether for regulatory compliance, government procurement, work pass applications, or corporate governance purposes.

Employers applying for government contracts through GeBIZ must submit a fair employment declaration as part of the procurement documentation. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) procurement framework requires all suppliers to the Singapore Government to commit to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. Government agencies verify compliance through TAFEP, and employers found to have engaged in discriminatory practices may be debarred from government procurement for a specified period.

Employers applying for Employment Passes (EP), S Passes, or Work Permits through MOM's Work Pass Division must demonstrate fair employment practices as part of the application process. The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) — introduced in 2014 and strengthened in 2020 — requires employers to advertise job vacancies on the MyCareersFuture portal for at least 14 days before applying for an EP for a foreign candidate. Employers who are identified by MOM as not adhering to the FCF guidelines may be placed on the FCF Watchlist, restricting their ability to obtain new work passes.

Employers in Progressive Wage Model (PWM) sectors — cleaning, security, landscape maintenance, retail, and food services — must comply with PWM requirements as a condition for MOM work pass approvals. The PWM, administered through the Wage Mark accreditation programme by NTUC, requires employers to commit to fair employment practices alongside progressive wage structures.

Employers seeking TAFEP's Employers Pledge of Fair Employment Practices sign the declaration as a public commitment. Over 7,000 employers in Singapore have signed the pledge, including major employers such as DBS Bank, Singtel, CapitaLand, Singapore Airlines, and public sector agencies. The pledge is displayed on TAFEP's website and signals to job seekers, investors, and the public the employer's commitment to fair hiring and workplace practices.

Employers responding to a TAFEP investigation or MOM inquiry related to a discrimination complaint may be required to provide a fair employment declaration and an action plan demonstrating corrective measures. TAFEP handles complaints from employees and job seekers who believe they have been subject to discrimination, and employers found to have violated the guidelines face potential work pass restrictions and public naming.

A TAFEP Fair Employment Declaration for a Singapore employer must reflect the five principles of the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and contain the following elements. The forms-legal.com TAFEP Fair Employment Declaration template is aligned with the Tripartite Guidelines, the Fair Consideration Framework requirements, and the Employers Pledge of Fair Employment Practices administered by TAFEP.

Employer identification requires the employer's full registered name and UEN as registered with ACRA, the employer's registered address, the industry sector (using SSIC codes published by the Department of Statistics, Singapore), the total number of employees, and the name and designation of the authorised signatory.

Company profile section captures the employer's business description, the number of local and foreign employees, the employer's work pass holding profile (EP, S Pass, Work Permit holders), and the employer's membership in relevant industry associations (e.g., the Singapore Business Federation, SBF; the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, SMF; or sector-specific associations).

Fair recruitment commitment declares that the employer recruits and selects candidates based on merit — skills, qualifications, experience, and ability to perform the job — without discrimination on grounds of age, race, gender, religion, marital status, family responsibilities, or disability. The employer commits to: using objective and job-related selection criteria; advertising job vacancies in a non-discriminatory manner; complying with MOM's Fair Consideration Framework by advertising vacancies on the MyCareersFuture portal for EP-eligible positions; and not specifying unnecessary criteria (such as age, gender, race, or language requirements unrelated to the job) in job advertisements.

Fair treatment commitment declares that the employer treats all employees with dignity and respect, provides a workplace free from harassment (consistent with the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, Cap. 256A), and does not discriminate in the allocation of duties, work assignments, or working conditions.

Fair development commitment declares that the employer provides equal access to training, skills development, and career advancement opportunities, consistent with the national SkillsFuture movement administered by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). The employer commits to supporting employees' professional development through SkillsFuture Credit utilisation, industry training programmes, and internal career pathways.

Fair compensation commitment declares that the employer rewards employees based on performance, skills, and contribution, without discrimination. For employers in PWM sectors, the declaration should reference compliance with the Progressive Wage Model wage ladders published by the National Wages Council (NWC) through MOM.

Fair termination commitment declares that the employer manages retrenchment and termination in accordance with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, including: selecting employees for retrenchment based on objective criteria; providing the statutory notice period or salary in lieu under the Employment Act 1968 (Cap. 91); paying retrenchment benefits where applicable; and notifying MOM of retrenchments involving five or more employees.

Undertaking section contains the employer's formal undertaking to: abide by the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices; cooperate with TAFEP investigations and inquiries; implement corrective measures if any discriminatory practices are identified; and review employment practices annually for compliance with fair employment principles.

Signature of the authorised representative — typically the CEO, Managing Director, HR Director, or Company Secretary — together with the date of execution and the company stamp. The completed declaration may be submitted to TAFEP as part of the Employers Pledge, to GeBIZ as part of a government procurement submission, or retained as an internal HR governance document. The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and the Employment Act 1968 (Cap. 91) govern the core requirements for this type of document.