New Rule Curbs Biases Against Flexi Work

Employers who oppose remote work solely because it deviates from traditional office norms can no longer deny this option to employees and may face consequences for doing so.

Starting 1 December 2024, under the new Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement, such requests can only be denied for legitimate business reasons like cost, feasibility, practicality, or impact on productivity.

“If an employer does not properly consider the employee’s formal FWA request or rejects an FWA request based on personal bias against FWAs, the employee can raise his concerns through his organisation’s grievance handling process,” Edric Pan, joint deputy managing partner and cohead of employment and insurance practices at Dentons Rodyk, told Singapore Business Review.

Alternatively, employees can seek assistance from their union. If necessary, employees can consult the NTUC Workplace Advisory and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices for further support with their employer.