New voluntary standards launched to manage workplace disputes amicably

SINGAPORE — More than 220 employers have pledged to handle grievances at their workplaces with processes that meet a new standard launched on Friday (Oct 20).

Under this Tripartite Standard on Grievance Handling, the firms, covering 245,000, will provide a channel for workers to raise grievances, such as feelings of unfairness over wage cuts, dismissals and retrenchments, and ensure proper investigations are conducted in response. Supervisors will be trained to handle feedback and manage grievances from employees.

The firms will also state the appropriate authority to hear the appeal and a reasonable timeframe for action to be taken.

All these procedures in place must be made known to employees, such as in a collective agreement or company circulars.

Announcing the standard at an event for fair and responsive management of workplace disputes on Friday, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say said the standard specifies a set of “verifiable and actionable” employment practices for firms to manage workplace grievances more effectively.

Mr Lim also shared that the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) has helped nine in 10 individuals with salary claims disputes recover their salaries in full since it was set up in April. The amount recovered totalled up to S$5 million involving 4,140 employees and employers.

One in five workers who have registered salary claims with TADM over the last six months are professionals, managers and executives. About a third of them earn more than S$4,500 a month.

Three-quarters are rank-and-file workers and the remaining are employers.

The top three sectors where these salary claims originated include construction, services and manufacturing. A majority of these cases involve small set-ups with smaller human resource teams, said TADM general manager Felix Ong.

The tribunals were set up to cater to a growing demand for affordable dispute resolution platforms, especially among workers who are not covered under the Employment Act — those earning more than S$4,500 a month.

Before this, it was the Labour Court which heard salary-related claims for such workers. Those with larger pay cheques must file their claims with the civil courts, which entailed a lengthier and costly process.

Under a framework passed in Parliament in August last year, all employees, regardless of their income levels, can bring their salary-related claims to the TADM by requesting mediation — within one year after the claim arises, or six months if the employee has left the company.

These include claims of up to S$20,000 — such as unpaid salary, maternity and retrenchment benefits — from all workers ranging from interns under a contract of service to professionals. The limit is S$30,000 for union members.

TADM has also advised about 3,800 employees on employment and contractual issues, including performance-related grievances.