2 February 2023

Employment Law in Singapore Series Part 6: Employment Disputes 新加坡雇佣法系列 (第六章):雇佣纠纷

Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (“TADM”) 劳资政纠纷调解联盟

TADM, jointly set up by the Tripartite Partners (i.e. the Ministry of Manpower, National Trades Union Congress and Singapore National Employers Federation), provides advisory and mediation services to help employees and employers manage employment disputes amicably.
由新加坡劳动法改革的三方合作伙伴(即新加坡人力部,全国职工总会与新加坡全国雇主联合会)共同设立的劳资政纠纷调解联盟为雇主及员工提供咨询和调解服务,以帮助他们友好地解决雇佣纠纷。

TADM provides mediation for the following disputes:
劳资政纠纷调解联盟为以下纠纷提供调解服务:

  1. salary-related disputes;
    与薪金有关的纠纷;
  2. wrongful dismissal claims;
    与不当解雇相关的索赔;
  3. appeals under the Retirement and Re-employment Act 1993 (“RRA”); and
    在《退休与重新雇佣法令1993》(”RRA”)下提出的上诉;以及
  4. other employment disputes, where appropriate.
    其他适当的雇佣纠纷。

Employers and employees should note that salary-related claims and wrongful dismissal claims must first be heard by TADM before they can be heard by the Employment Claims Tribunals (“ECT”).
雇主和员工应注意,与薪金及不当解雇相关的纠纷或索赔必须先由劳资政纠纷调解联盟审理,然后才能在雇佣纠纷索偿庭(“ECT”)进行听证。

For claims resolved through mediation, parties will enter into a settlement agreement under the Employment Claims Act 2016. Claims that cannot be resolved through mediation will be issued a claim referral certificate and be referred to the ECT.
如果各方已通过劳资政纠纷调解联盟的调解程序适当地解决了相关纠纷,各方将根据《雇佣索赔法令2016》签订和解协议。如果各方无法通过前述调解程序解决相关纠纷,各方可以通过转介证书将相关纠纷提交给雇佣纠纷索偿庭审理。

ECT 雇佣纠纷索偿庭

Claims heard by the ECT must first be filed at the TADM. The ECT hears the following types of claims for employees:
雇佣纠纷在受到雇佣纠纷索偿庭的审理之前必须事先提交给劳资政纠纷调解联盟存档。雇佣纠纷索偿庭将对以下类型的雇佣纠纷或索赔进行审理:

  1. statutory salary-related claims from all employees covered by the Employment Act 1968 (“EA”), the RRA, and the Child Development Co-Savings Act 2001 (“CDCA”);
    所有符合《雇佣法令1968》(“EA“)、《退休与重新雇佣法令1993》和《儿童发展共同储蓄法令2001》(“CDCA“) 下“雇员“定义的员工与法定薪金有关的纠纷或索赔;
  2. contractual salary-related claims by all employees, except domestic workers, public servants, and seafarers; and
    所有员工 (家庭帮佣、新加坡政府的法定机构的员工或公务员及海员除外) 根据其服务合同与薪金有关的纠纷或索赔;及
  3. wrongful dismissal claims from all employees covered by the EA and CDCA.
    所有符合《雇佣法令1968》与《儿童发展共同储蓄法令2001》下“雇员“定义的员工与不当解雇相关的纠纷或索赔。

The ECT also hears claims initiated by employers for salary in lieu of notice (i.e. where an employee is obliged to pay monetary compensation to the employer for resigning without notice but fails to do so). The maximum amount claimable for a claim heard by the ECT is: (a) up to S$20,000; or (b) up to S$30,000 if parties go through the Tripartite Mediation Framework (“TMF”) or mediation assisted by unions recognised by the Industrial Relations Act 1960 (“IRA”). If the claim exceeds the maximum applicable limit, the claimant may either:
雇佣纠纷索偿庭也有权审理雇主提出的代通知薪金纠纷(即员工在未事先通知雇主而辞职的情况下有义务向雇主支付补偿金,但却未支付该补偿金)。雇佣纠纷索偿庭审理的纠纷的的最高索赔金额为: (a) 不超过20,000 新元;或 (b) 如果各方通过三方调解框架(“TMF”)或在《劳资关系法令1960》(“IRA”)认可的工会的协助下进行调解,则最高索赔金额可达 30,000 新元。如果索赔金额超过前述的最高索赔金额,索赔方可以选择:

  1. choose to forego the excess amount for ECT to hear the claimant’s case; or
    放弃超出的索赔金额部分,并将相关纠纷或索赔提交给雇佣纠纷索偿庭审理;或
  2. file a civil claim to be heard by the Singapore District Court (if the claim amount is S$250,000 and below) or the Singapore High Court (if the claim amount exceeds S$250,000).
    向新加坡地方法院或新加坡最高法院提交民事索赔。索赔金额为250,000 新元或以下的案件一般由地方法院处理,而索赔金额超过 250,000 新元的案件一般则由最高法院处理。

TMF and IRA 三方调解框架与《劳资关系法令1960》

The TMF and IRA allow more employees to benefit from tripartite mediation to resolve employment disputes. All PMEs (i.e. Professionals, Managers, and Executives who are union members in non-unionised companies) and all rank-and-file union members in non-unionised companies are eligible for tripartite mediation.
三方调解框架和《劳资关系法令1960》让更多员工根据三方调解程序解决雇佣纠纷。所有专业人士、经理和执行人员(即身为工会会员,但其公司并非工会会员的专业人士、经理和执行人员)和所有在非工会公司任职的普通工会会员都有资格使用三方调解程序。

The TMF covers disputes in relation to:
与以下方面有关的纠纷可通过三方调解框架解决:

  1. employment statutory benefits (e.g. disputes relating to salary and leave entitlements);
    雇佣法定福利(例如与薪金及年假有关的纠纷);
  2. re-employment;
    重新雇佣;
  3. breach of individual employment contracts;
    个人雇佣合同的违约情况;
  4. payment of retrenchment benefits; and
    裁员津贴的赔偿;及
  5. wrongful dismissal.
    不当解雇。

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This memorandum is only intended as a guide and does not purport to be an exhaustive or conclusive discussion of the matters set out herein and should not be relied on as a substitute for definitive legal advice. Reference should always be made to the applicable statutes, the relevant subsidiary legislations and other applicable guidelines. This memorandum is not to be transmitted to any other person nor is it to be relied upon by any other person or for any other purpose or quoted or referred to in any public document or filed with any governmental or other authorities without our consent in writing. This memorandum is limited to the laws of Singapore. In issuing this memorandum, we do not assume any obligation to notify or inform you of any developments subsequent to its date that might render its contents untrue or inaccurate in whole or in part at such later time. If you would like to discuss the implications of these legal developments on your business or obtain advice, please do not hesitate to approach your usual contact at Insights Law LLC or you may direct the inquiry to our key contacts stated above.

重要提示:本备忘录仅用于参考,并不视作对本文所载事项的详尽或结论性的讨论,且不应被依赖作为替代明确的法律意见。应参考所适用的法规、有关附属法例、及其他适用的原则。未经本所书面同意,本备忘录不得向任何其他人传送,任何人也不得就任何目的依赖本备忘录,并于任何公共文件引述或专署,或提交给任何政府或有关当局。本备忘录仅限于新加坡的法律。本所就这份备忘录的发行,对较后时间日期发生的任何进展导致本备忘录所呈现的全部或部分不实或不准确的内容不承担任何义务。如果您想了解这些法律发展对您业务的影响或咨询意见,请随时与您智诚法律(新加坡)的联系人联系,或直接联系上述的主要联系人