MOM imposes new fair hiring conditions to employment agencies

It will also appoint selected EAs to hire fairly as placement partners.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will impose new license conditions on all employment agencies (EAs) when they undertake recruitment work to strengthen fair hiring practices, according to an announcement.

Starting 1 October, the new license conditions will require the nearly 3,900 EAs licensed by MOM to comply with the fair recruitment requirements set out in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) when recruiting on behalf of their clients.

In addition to helping their clients fulfil job advertising requirements, EAs must also brief their clients on the fair recruitment requirements in the TGFEP, make reasonable efforts to attract Singaporeans for vacancies that they are trying to fill, and consider all candidates based on merit.

The ministry warned the EAs that they should not be in any way discriminatory in hiring by withholding applications on the basis of age, race, nationality, gender and disability. They are also advised to turn down requests or instructions from clients to carry out discriminatory hiring. EAs that fail to comply with license conditions may be issued with demerit points, have their licence suspended or revoked, or face prosecution.

In addition, MOM will introduce a new Human Capital Partnership (HCP) mark for EAs to recognise those that have demonstrated strong commitment to fair recruitment practices and helped employers to strengthen their Singaporean core.

MOM will also appoint selected EAs that have demonstrated the ability to hire fairly as placement partners to help local job seekers secure jobs and traineeships under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.

Through this initiative, MOM will provide funding support to placement partners to place mature jobseekers, long-term unemployed jobseekers, or persons with disabilities into jobs and traineeships. This initiative will create additional pathways for more vulnerable local job seekers to access professional career matching services and opportunities suited to them.