Effectiveness of Mandatory Monthly Rest Day Requirement for Migrant Domestic Workers

Dr Hamid Razak asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the effectiveness of the mandatory monthly rest day requirement for migrant domestic workers since its implementation in 2023, including trends in take-up, compliance and worker well-being; and (b) whether any refinements to the policy or support measures are being considered.

Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recognises the importance of rest for migrant domestic workers (MDWs) and has progressively strengthened safeguards over the years. Since 2023, we have mandated that MDWs must be given at least one rest day a month that cannot be compensated away.

The vast majority of employers are in compliance with the mandatory rest day policy. Out of the 300,000 MDWs in Singapore, MOM has taken enforcement action against just about 90 employers each year for failing to comply with the monthly rest day requirement. The majority of employers provide more than one rest day a month for their MDWs. In terms of well-being, 99% of MDWs reported being satisfied with their level of emotional support in MOM's last survey in 2021, an increase from 93% in 2015.

MOM has no plans at present to introduce further changes to the rest day policy. We will continue to monitor rest day compliance and refine our policy measures where necessary.