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SINGAPORE: The work pass privileges of some 70 employers were suspended in the first half of this year due to discriminatory hiring practices.
This is a “significant increase” from the 35 figure for 2019 as a whole, according to the latest Labor Standards Report.
Approximately 43 percent of them were identified through the proactive investigation efforts of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) through data analysis, while 57 percent were identified through complaints received by the MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP).
The report was released on Thursday (November 19) by MOM, TAFEP and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).
Authorities also investigated around 260 cases of possible discriminatory hiring practices in the first half of this year, up from 160 cases in the same period in 2019.
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“The increase was due to more public education efforts to report instances of workplace discrimination to TAFEP, as well as MOM’s improved detection of unfair hiring behavior through data analysis,” said a MOM spokesperson. .
“To proactively address discrimination and improve the perception of fairness in the workplace, MOM monitors the profile of employers’ workforce for potential unfair hiring practices, investigates those in potential breaches, and has also taken severe measures against those who attempt to circumvent the fair hiring requirements under the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), “the report says.
He added that since 2016, MOM has been “proactively identifying” employers with a higher proportion of foreign professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) compared to their industry peers, or those with a “high concentration of a single source of employment. foreign nationality “.
These employers are then placed on the FCF watch list, with their job pass applications held while TAFEP helps them improve their human resource practices. Most of the companies on this list go out within a year, according to the report.
Since 2016, more than 1,200 employers have been screened under the FCF, according to the report. MOM has rejected, withheld or withdrawn a total of 3,200 applications for employment passes from these employers.
Employers on the FCF watch list have hired more than 4,800 PMET from Singapore, the report adds.
STRENGTHENING THE APPLICATION
To address discrimination in the workplace, authorities have imposed harsher penalties for all forms of discriminatory hiring since January.
Employers who violate the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Labor Practices will not be able to hire new foreign workers or renew existing ones for a period of 12 to 24 months.
MOM also introduced new licensing conditions for employment agencies, requiring compliance with fair hiring requirements when hiring clients.
READ: New licensing conditions for employment agencies to ensure fair recruitment and attract Singaporeans for job vacancies
Licensed agencies must not in any way encourage discriminatory hiring by their clients, such as withholding applications based on age, race, national origin, gender, and disability.
They must also inform clients of the requirements, make a “reasonable effort” to attract Singaporeans for vacancies, and “consider all applicants based on merit,” the report says.
MORE JOB SEEKERS PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION
According to a 2018 survey by MOM, 69 percent of employers had processes in place to ensure fair hiring practices and this proportion had been “steadily increasing” since 2010.
However, the percentage of job applicants who perceived discrimination increased from 10% in 2014 to 15% in 2018.
The survey involved 3,390 establishments and 3,125 job applicants and employees, MOM said.
TAFEP has a “serious view” of discrimination in the workplace, said its general manager Faith Li.
“We have intensified our efforts to analyze more cases of potential discrimination in the workplace and will continue to work with MOM to take action against discriminatory employers.”
