Safeguards for Employees whose Organisations Enforce Work-in-office Arrangements

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Manpower how are employees whose organisations enforce work in office arrangements safeguarded under fair and progressive employment practices, particularly in relation to Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs).

Dr Tan See Leng: Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) include flexi-place, flexi-time and flexi-load arrangements. Under the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR) implemented in December 2024, employees may formally request for FWAs, and employers should consider such requests based on business needs. This also applies to employees in firms where the default work arrangement is to be on-site.

Employees who feel that their FWA requests are not properly considered may approach the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for assistance, and TAFEP will assess the case. If employers are found not to have assessed the FWA request properly, TAFEP will guide the employer to comply with the TG-FWAR.