This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 3 June 2022.

Anti-discrimination legislation is a highlight of the recent White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development. This legislation will enshrine existing Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) guidelines in law, and is a commendable step towards equality in Singapore.

Tafep guidelines state that candidates should be considered fairly, based on their merit, regardless of criteria such as marital status and family responsibilities.

Despite this, the Association of Women for Action and Research’s Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory has seen more cases of maternity discrimination at the recruitment stage over the last few months.

Although those facing maternity discrimination can report it to organisations like Tafep and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, there is no current legislation that explicitly forbids it at recruitment.

These women’s stories display disturbingly familiar patterns. Many of our clients want to be transparent about their pregnancy during recruitment, so that they may work out their maternity leave arrangements in a way that is convenient for themselves and the employer. However, they find their job offers are rescinded after informing their prospective employers of their pregnancy.

The employer often disguises what appears to be discrimination as concern for the pregnant candidate’s health. For instance, they may insist on cutting down the number of working hours despite the candidate being able to work full-time, which would reduce her job scope and salary.

Employers may also ask the candidate to start working only after their due date so as to render them ineligible for maternity benefits.

Under-reporting remains a major issue when it comes to workplace discrimination and harassment. Women affected by discrimination may fear reputational damage and the resulting impact on their career.

Legislation should lay out examples of what constitutes discrimination during recruitment, and send a clear signal that candidates must be judged purely on merit.

Fair consideration of pregnant candidates for a role provides much-needed employment opportunities for them, and also capitalises on their contributions to the economy.

Apoorva Shukla
Executive, Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory
AWARE