Workers' Rights
Employment Act protections, CPF contributions, workplace safety, retrenchment benefits, leave entitlements, and dispute resolution under Singapore national law.
Covered in this guide:
Singapore has no universal minimum wage — instead, the Employment Act (Cap. 91) sets the floor for most private-sector workers, the Progressive Wage Model handles sectoral pay, and the Local Qualifying Salary (S$1,600/month) gates foreign worker hiring. CPF takes mandatory contributions for retirement, healthcare, and housing. Safety runs under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (Cap. 354A), and on-the-job injuries are no-fault under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019. Disputes go to TADM mediation first, then the Employment Claims Tribunals within 1 year. The Workplace Fairness Act 2025 covers discrimination.
Key Laws
Employment Act
Cap. 91, 2009 Rev. Ed.
Core employment protections — salary, hours, leave, termination, retrenchment
Workplace Safety and Health Act
Cap. 354A, 2009 Rev. Ed.
Employer duties, workplace safety standards, penalties for breaches
Work Injury Compensation Act 2019
Act 27 of 2019
No-fault compensation for workplace injuries and occupational diseases
Central Provident Fund Act 1953
Act 36 of 1953 (2020 Rev. Ed.)
Mandatory employer and employee CPF contributions for retirement, health, housing
Employment Claims Act 2016
Act 21 of 2016
Establishes Employment Claims Tribunals for salary and dismissal disputes
Progressive Wage Model (PWM)
Singapore does not have a universal minimum wage. Instead, it uses the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), which sets mandatory minimum pay levels for specific sectors and occupations.Cleaning sector: Manda...
Working Hours and Overtime
Part IV of the Employment Act sets limits on working hours and guarantees overtime pay for eligible employees:Maximum 44 hours per week (or 88 hours over any continuous 2-week period).Maximum 8 hours...
Annual Leave
Employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid annual leave that increases with years of service:1st year of service: 7 days2nd year: 8 days3rd year: 9 days4th year: 10 days5th year: 11...
Wrongful Dismissal
Singapore law protects employees from wrongful dismissal — termination that is done without just cause or excuse. Since 2019, all employees under the Employment Act can bring a wrongful dismissal clai...
CPF Contributions
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) is Singapore's mandatory social security savings scheme. Both employers and employees must contribute:Aged 55 and below: Employee 20% + Employer 17% = 37% totalAbove 5...
Workplace Safety and Health
The Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) requires every employer to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of employees at work:Safe work environment: Employers must ma...
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Singapore provides statutory maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave:Maternity leave: 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) for the first and second child (employer pays the first...
Retrenchment Benefits
When an employer makes roles redundant, retrenched employees may be entitled to retrenchment benefits:Eligibility: Employees who have served for at least 2 years are eligible under the Employment Act...
Work Pass Cancellation & Appeals (EP, S Pass, Work Permit)
A Singapore work pass is a privilege, not a right. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), through the Controller of Work Passes, can refuse, suspend, or revoke any Employment Pass (EP), S Pass, Work Permit,...