Employers told to abide by fair employment practices
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has condemned job advertisements that discriminate against candidates based on their age.
The condemnation comes after the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) received an average of 49 age-related discriminatory job advertisements annually between 2018 and 2022.
"Such job advertisements are unacceptable as they deny jobseekers of fair opportunities," the ministry said in a statement.
According to MOM, employers are expected to comply with the country's Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), which outlines the standards of fair and merit-based employment.
"As laid out in the TGFEP, words or phrases that suggest a preference for job candidates of a particular age group should not be used in job advertisements unless there is a sound justification," MOM said. "MOM has taken enforcement action against employers for placing job advertisements that discriminate based on age or show an unjustified preference for a particular age group."
While the government has not specifically reviewed the prevalence and impact of ageist language in job ads, MOM said it is carrying out regular surveys to measure the prevalence of workplace discrimination faced by employees and jobseekers.
"Jobseekers who encounter discriminatory job advertisements can approach TAFEP for advice and assistance," the ministry said.
Singapore recently adjusted its retirement age to 63 and re-employment age to 68 to allow more senior employees to work. Employees hired at the age of 55 and above are qualified for re-employment if they worked for the same employer for at least two years.
"These measures will enable more senior workers to continue working if they wish to, and provide a larger pool of workers for businesses," MOM previously said.
Singapore is considering an increase in its retirement and re-employment ages to 65 and 70 years old, respectively, by 2030.
