Tripartite Guidelines and Standards 

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Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) Requests
Developed by the Tripartite Workgroup, the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests set out how employees should request for FWAs and use them responsibly, and how employers should properly consider and respond to these requests based on business needs. These mandatory Guidelines will come into effect on 1 Dec 2024.

More information can be found at go.gov.sg/tgfwar-resource.


Tripartite Standards 

Did you know that the Tripartite Partners – the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) – introduced the Tripartite Standards in 2017 to promote fair and progressive workplace practices? Through this, employees and jobseekers can easily identify employers with progressive workplace practices.

Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs

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Caregiving is a huge responsibility and it can be challenging to balance your caregiving and work commitments. This is why the Tripartite Standard encourages employers to be more supportive during stressful periods of caregiving and to provide additional unpaid leave for employees.

Employers who adopt this Tripartite Standard agree to:

  • Offer employees up to four weeks of unpaid leave per year if their child is below the age of two and:
    • is born (a) premature, or (b) with congenital conditions, or (c) as part of multiple births; or
    • has any medical conditions, subject to a discussion with the employer.
  • Offer employees up to two weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for immediate family members who are hospitalised.

 

Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony

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Prioritising employee well-being benefits both employers and employees. Good work-life practices can boost employees' morale and performance. Employers can attract and retain talent, as well as benefit from increased productivity and competitiveness. The Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony was introduced to support all employees to better manage work and personal commitments. 

Employers who adopt this Tripartite Standard agree to:

  • Adopt the Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements.
  • Appoint a member of senior management to champion work-life harmony.
  • Provide at least two employee support schemes* (e.g. on-site childcare facilities, eldercare subsidies, health and wellness programmes) for all employees.
  • Provide at least two enhanced leave benefits** (e.g. compassionate leave, extended childcare leave) and encourage employees to utilise maternity, paternity, childcare leave and annual leave.
  • Use technology to support work-life strategies.
  • Discuss arrangements for employees with caregiving responsibilities, such as the option to reduce work hours (with a commensurate reduction in pay), or alternative support arrangements (e.g. flexi-time or flexi-place).
  • Establish and communicate available work-life polices, and the application processes to employees to support their well-being and productivity, and prevent burn-out.
  • Review the effectiveness of their work-life programmes on a regular basis.

*The list of possible employee support schemes can be found here.

**The list of possible enhanced leave benefits can be found here.

Find out about the application process for the different Tripartite Standards here.

Identify companies with the “Tripartite Standard” logos on mycareersfuture.gov.sg

 

  • FAQ
    • 1. Does the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests mandate that my employer provide FWAs or have a FWA policy?

      The Guidelines do not mandate that employers must agree to the FWA request, but will require employers to put in place processes to properly consider and respond to employees’ requests to FWAs. 

    • 2. Are there any guidelines on how my supervisor should evaluate my request for FWAs?

      Supervisors are expected to assess requests for FWAs requests objectively and fairly, based on business-related grounds. They should consider factors such as:

      • The needs of the job and suitability of the employee.
      • The performance expectations and assessment (e.g. work deliverables and targets, and how the employee’s work performance would be assessed for the duration of the flexible work arrangement).
      • The impact on the employee’s working conditions, including compensation, benefits and safety, if applicable.

      The aim is to establish positive workplace norms and enable employees and employers to have constructive discussions to work out FWAs that are mutually acceptable.

    • 3. Will my career prospects be affected if I take up FWAs?

      It will be useful for an employee to have an open discussion with his/her supervisor to align expectations on work deliverables before taking up FWAs. Supervisors should continue to abide by the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and adopt fair and objective appraisal systems, such as assessing work performance based on achieved outcomes.

    • 4. Where can an employee go to for assistance if they are unable to resolve disputes relating to TG-FWAR?

      Employers and employees are strongly encouraged to discuss and resolve disagreements on FWAs through the firm’s internal grievance handling mechanism. Employees whose employers did not adhere to the Guidelines can also approach TAFEP for assistance on formal FWA requests.

    • 5. On the Tripartite Standard for Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs, what is considered a preterm birth, and what are the covered congenital conditions?

       

      Preterm: A preterm birth is defined as one that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy, in line with the World Health Organisation’s definition.1

       

      Congenital Conditions: “Birth defects/congenital anomalies/congenital disorders/ congenital malformations” are defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life and can be identified prenatally, at birth, or sometimes may be detected later in infancy, in line with the World Health Organisation’s definition.2

       

      Some examples include congenital malformations of the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems, malformations of eye or ear (e.g. congenital cataract), cleft lip and palate, congenital malformations of genital organs (e.g. hypospadias), congenital malformations and deformations of musculoskeletal system (e.g. polydactyl) and chromosomal abnormalities (e.g. Down Syndrome).

       

      1 Source: World Health Organization (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs363/en/)

      2 Source: World Health Organization (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs370/en/)

       

    • 6. I have some feedback on an organisation that has adopted the Tripartite Standards. Who can I contact?

      Please submit your feedback to ts@tafep.sg.

       

      If the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices receives substantiated feedback related to how the adopter's HR practice does not align with the Tripartite Standards, they may contact the organisation to clarify if it meets the specifications of the Tripartite Standard.