Key Framework Criteria & Principles
Employment Act Coverage
Broad Employee CoverageThe Employment Act covers employees under a contract of service, subject to statutory exclusions and separate employment regimes.
Part IV Working Hours and Overtime
44h / 1.5x OTPart IV applies only to covered employees. It generally limits normal hours to 44 per week and requires overtime at not less than 1.5 times the hourly basic rate.
Salary Payment Deadlines
7 / 14 DaysSalary is generally due within 7 days after the end of the salary period and overtime pay within 14 days.
Statutory Leave
Annual + Sick LeaveEmployees covered by the Employment Act and meeting the service requirements can receive statutory paid annual leave, outpatient sick leave and hospitalisation leave.
Key Employment Terms and Payslips
Written KETs + PayslipEligible employees must receive written Key Employment Terms, while employees covered by the Employment Act must receive itemised payslips.
TADM and Employment Claims Tribunals
Dispute ResolutionTADM provides mediation and dispute assistance; unresolved eligible claims can proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Review the Employment Contract and KETs
Check salary, working arrangements, notice period, leave, overtime eligibility and other agreed terms against statutory requirements.
Track Hours, Salary and Leave
Keep payslips, attendance records, overtime records and leave records so any disagreement can be supported with evidence.
Raise the Issue With the Employer
For unpaid salary, overtime or leave disputes, make a clear written request identifying the amount and contractual or statutory basis.
File With TADM
Use TADM eServices within the applicable deadline for salary-related or wrongful-dismissal claims.
Attend Mediation
TADM assesses the claim and may arrange mediation between employee and employer.
Proceed to ECT if Unresolved
Where the claim remains unresolved and falls within ECT jurisdiction, proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals for adjudication.
Who Is Covered by the Employment Act?
General Rule
The Employment Act covers employees working in Singapore under a contract of service, including full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees.
Common Excluded Groups
- Domestic workers
- Seafarers
- Statutory board employees
- Civil servants
Foreign Employees
Foreign employees working under a contract of service are generally covered by the Employment Act, although work-pass conditions and other immigration rules apply separately.
Manager Executives
Managers and executives are generally covered by the Employment Act, but they are not covered by the Part IV rest-day, hours-of-work and overtime provisions.
Part Time
Part-time employees are covered by the Employment Act and their statutory entitlements are generally pro-rated according to the applicable rules.
Working Hours, Rest Days and Overtime
Coverage
Non Workmen
Non-workmen with monthly basic salary not exceeding S$2,600.
Workmen
Workmen with monthly basic salary not exceeding S$4,500.
Excluded
Managers and executives are not covered by Part IV.
Hours
Weekly
Normal contractual hours are generally not more than 44 hours a week.
Daily
An employee covered by Part IV should generally not work more than 12 hours a day, including overtime, subject to statutory exceptions.
Consecutive
An employee should generally not be required to work for more than 6 consecutive hours without a break, subject to the statutory rules.
Overtime Cap
Overtime generally cannot exceed 72 hours in a month unless the Commissioner for Labour grants an exemption.
Rest Day
Employees covered by Part IV are entitled to at least 1 rest day each week.
Overtime
Rate
At least 1.5 times the hourly basic rate of pay.
Time Off
For employees covered by Part IV, an employer cannot replace statutory overtime pay simply with time off.
Definition
Overtime means work performed beyond the normal hours of work specified for the employee, excluding breaks.
Important
The 44-hour rule is not a universal maximum working week for every employee in Singapore. It is part of the Part IV statutory framework.
Salary Payment Rules
Frequency
Salary must be paid at least once a month for employees covered by the Employment Act.
Ordinary Deadline
Salary must generally be paid within 7 days after the end of the salary period.
Overtime Deadline
Overtime pay must generally be paid within 14 days after the end of the salary period.
Final Salary
Employee Serves Notice
Generally on the last day of employment.
Resigns Without Notice
Generally within 7 days after the last day of employment.
Misconduct Dismissal
Generally on the last day of employment or, if not possible, within 3 working days.
Employer Termination
Generally on the last day of employment or, if not possible, within 3 working days.
Minimum Wage
Singapore does not have a general statutory minimum wage. Salary is generally negotiated and agreed between employer and employee, subject to sector-specific requirements such as Progressive Wage Model or Local Qualifying Salary rules where applicable.
Annual, Sick and Public Holiday Entitlements
Annual Leave
Eligibility
Employees covered by the Employment Act who have worked for at least 3 months are entitled to statutory annual leave.
First Year
At least 7 days in the first year of service.
Increase
The statutory entitlement increases by 1 day for each additional year of service.
Maximum
The statutory annual-leave entitlement reaches 14 days from the 8th year of service.
Sick Leave
Eligibility
Paid sick-leave entitlement begins after at least 3 months of service, with pro-rating during the first 6 months.
Outpatient
Up to 14 days of paid outpatient sick leave per year after the full qualifying service period.
Hospitalisation
Up to 60 days of paid hospitalisation leave per year after the full qualifying service period, inclusive of the 14 days outpatient entitlement.
Notification
The employee should inform the employer of the absence within 48 hours as required by the Employment Act.
Public Holidays
Employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid public holidays. Where an employee works on a public holiday, the statutory payment or substitution rules depend on whether the day is a working day, non-working day or rest day.
Family Leave
Maternity, paternity, adoption and childcare leave can arise under the Employment Act and/or Child Development Co-Savings Act depending on the employee and child circumstances.
Key Employment Terms and Itemised Payslips
Kets
Requirement
Employers must issue written Key Employment Terms to employees who are covered by the Employment Act, enter into a qualifying contract of service on or after 1 April 2016 and are employed for 14 days or more.
Deadline
KETs should be issued within 14 days after the employee's first day of employment.
Typical Contents
- Employer and employee names
- Job title and duties
- Start date and contract duration where applicable
- Working arrangements
- Salary period and basic salary
- Fixed allowances and deductions
- Overtime period and rate where applicable
- Other salary-related components
- Leave entitlements
- Medical benefits
- Probation period
- Notice period
Payslips
Requirement
Employers must issue itemised payslips to employees covered by the Employment Act.
Timing
The payslip should be given together with salary or within 3 working days after salary is paid.
Contents
- Employer and employee information
- Salary period
- Basic salary
- Allowances
- Deductions
- Overtime and other payments where applicable
- Net salary
Termination and Wrongful Dismissal
Notice
Termination with notice must generally follow the notice period in the contract. Termination without notice is governed by the statutory and contractual rules.
Wrongful Dismissal
A dismissal can be wrongful where there is no just or sufficient cause or where the dismissal is based on a prohibited reason, such as discrimination or retaliation for exercising an employment right.
File Deadline
A wrongful-dismissal claim should generally be filed at TADM within 1 month from the last day of employment.
Manager Executive
A manager or executive dismissed with notice or salary in lieu of notice generally needs at least 6 months of service to file a wrongful-dismissal claim. No minimum service period applies to a manager or executive dismissed without notice.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy-related wrongful-dismissal claims have their own statutory requirements and filing rules.
Possible Remedies
- Reinstatement and compensation for income loss
- Compensation
Salary and Employment Claims
Tadm
Role
TADM provides advisory and mediation services for eligible employment disputes.
Salary While Employed
A salary-related claim while still employed generally must be filed within 1 year from the first date salary became owed.
Salary After Leaving
A salary-related claim after leaving employment generally must be filed within 6 months of the last day of employment.
Wrongful Dismissal
Wrongful-dismissal claims generally must be filed within 1 month of the last day of employment.
Evidence
- Employment contract
- Key Employment Terms
- Payslips
- Salary and attendance records
- CPF records where relevant
- Emails, WhatsApp messages and other correspondence
- Termination letter where applicable
Ect
Role
If an eligible dispute cannot be resolved through TADM, it may proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals for adjudication.
Claim Limit
The standard claim limit is S$20,000 per claim, with a higher S$30,000 limit where a union files on the employee's behalf. Combined salary and wrongful-dismissal claims can have higher aggregate limits under the Employment Claims Act.
Binding Settlement
A settlement reached through TADM is binding when recorded as the relevant settlement agreement. TADM mediation itself should not be described as automatically producing a tribunal judgment.
Other Important Workplace Rights
Salary Deductions
Employers can make only deductions permitted by the Employment Act and applicable law.
Public Holidays
Employees receive statutory public-holiday entitlements, with additional payment or substitute arrangements where applicable.
Medical Consultation
Employers may have to reimburse medical consultation fees where the statutory sick-leave reimbursement conditions are met.
Work Injury
Work-related injury compensation is dealt with separately under the Work Injury Compensation Act rather than as ordinary Employment Act sick leave.
Cpf
CPF obligations are separate from the Employment Act and generally apply to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents according to CPF rules.
Required Document Checklist
Common Mistakes & Legal Misconceptions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Wise Global Expat Money Transfer
Sending funds for tuition, rent, or immigration fees? Retail banks sneak 2.5%–4% into exchange rates. Check today's real mid-market rate first.