Labour Relations and Workplaces Division

About Us

The Labour Relations and Workplaces Division (LRWD) promotes and maintains industrial peace and stability in Singapore by providing a legal framework to balance the interests of employers and employees. The Division also formulates policies on industrial relations and reviews labour and employment laws regularly to ensure their continued relevance to both employers and employees.

The core functions of LRWD include:

Advisory on the Terms and Conditions of Employment in Singapore

For information relating to the Employment Act and employment practices here, members of the public may make enquiries in person during office hours or by phone, fax and email.

Investigation into Claims and Complaints Regarding Employment

The Division investigates claims and complaints on salary matters and other terms and conditions of employment in respect of all employees other than seamen, domestic workers, persons employed in managerial, executive, or confidential positions and employees of Statutory Boards and the Government who are not covered by the Employment Act.

The Division also investigates claims on unlawful dismissal on the grounds of age.

Conciliation and Adjudication of Employment/Trade Disputes

The Division assists employers and employees in both the unionised and non-unionised sectors to resolve trade or employment/salary disputes amicably through conciliation, with the view to promote harmonious labour management relations. For trade disputes between employers and trade unions that cannot be resolved through conciliation, they will be referred to the Industrial Arbitration Court for arbitration. Employment disputes which cannot be resolved amicably through conciliation may be referred to the Labour Court for adjudication. Only claims which satisfy the following conditions can be adjudicated by the Labour Court:

• The employee concerned must be covered by the Employment Act;
• The claim must be on matters arising not earlier than one year from the date of lodging of claim; and
• If the employee concerned has already left employment, the claim must be lodged within six months from the date of leaving employment.

Promoting Great Workplaces

One of the focuses of the division is the promotion of awareness of employers' and employees' rights and obligations under the law, and good workplace practices such as Work-Life Strategy. The division supports capability development through the WOW! Fund, a $10 million fund that helps organisations absorb the upfront costs of introducing work-life strategies at the workplace. In addition, the division works with key partners like the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports; the National Trades Union Congress, the Singapore National Employers Federation and the Employer Alliance on Work and Family to promote the importance and relevance of Work-Life Strategy in Singapore.

Other promotional efforts include assisting the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices to encourage the adoption of fair and responsible employment practices, through seminars, guidelines and other means.

Registration of Trade Unions

The Registry of Trade Unions regulates the formation and dissolution of trade unions; safe custody and lawful utilisation of union funds; and the free and proper election of union officers.

It also provides advisory services to trade union officers and members on matters relating to the laws and regulations on trade unions.