The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has submitted formal feedback to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), voicing concerns about aspects of the proposed Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) Second Bill.
PSP announced its submission on Monday (15 Sep) through its official Facebook and Instagram channels.
The WFA Second Bill is currently open for public consultation, running from 26 August to 19 September 2025. The Bill will set out procedures for individuals to lodge private claims on workplace discrimination matters and is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament by the end of the year.
According to MOM, the Second Bill follows the WFA First Bill passed in January 2025, which laid the foundation for legal protection against workplace discrimination. The upcoming legislation will focus on how such claims are processed, heard, and resolved.
In its submission, PSP highlighted two main issues with the proposed framework: the high financial threshold for claims to be heard by the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT), and the decision to hold all such hearings in private.
Objection to S$250,000 claims threshold
PSP expressed concern that workplace fairness claims would fall under a substantially higher monetary jurisdiction—set at S$250,000—at the ECT. This stands in contrast to the existing threshold of S$20,000, or S$30,000 with mediation, for other employment-related disputes such as salary claims or wrongful dismissals.
PSP argued that workplace fairness cases, which often involve complex issues like bias or systemic discrimination, should not be subject to such a high threshold.
The party stated that lower thresholds would enable more cases to be heard in open court, thereby allowing for legal representation and judicial safeguards. PSP has called on the Government to explain the rationale behind this higher threshold.
The party further stated that while it supports the ECT’s current policy of disallowing legal representation during hearings, workers should be clearly informed of their right to obtain legal advice before and during proceedings.
Concerns about private hearings
The second key concern raised by PSP relates to the proposed conduct of all workplace fairness hearings in private.
While acknowledging the need to avoid the politicisation of sensitive disputes—particularly those involving race or religion—PSP argued that complete privacy could undermine transparency and public accountability.
The party proposed that all judgments from the ECT or High Court relating to workplace discrimination claims should be published, with appropriate anonymisation where necessary.
PSP added that the option to seal judgments should remain available in specific instances, such as those affecting racial harmony or national security. However, it stressed that the general availability of judicial decisions would serve as a useful guide for employers, employees, and the broader public.
Support for structured dispute resolution
Despite its objections, PSP reaffirmed its support for the Government’s broader intent to create an efficient, affordable, and accessible process for resolving workplace discrimination cases.
It noted that it would continue to engage in future public consultations and policy discussions initiated by the Government.
MOM’s public consultation process is hosted on the REACH platform, where members of the public may submit feedback until 19 September 2025 at 5.00PM.
The ministry is specifically seeking views on three key areas: how to achieve amicable and expedient resolution of disputes; the appropriate judicial forum for such claims; and whether unions should represent parties in workplace fairness cases.
The full consultation document is accessible at https://go.gov.sg/wfa-public-consult
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