Debated in Parliament on 11 Jan 2022.
Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Manpower in the last five years (a) what is the annual number of discrimination-related claims that have been made before the Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT); (b) what is the breakdown of these claims by discrimination category; and (c) what is the (i) average and (ii) range of compensation awarded by the ECT in wrongful dismissal cases involving discrimination.
The adjudication of wrongful dismissal claims under the Employment Act and Child Development Co-Savings Act was shifted from MOM to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) on 1 April 2019. Between 1 April 2019 and 31 December 2021, about 120 discrimination-related dismissal claims were lodged at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM). Vast majority of these claims were resolved through mediation at TADM or at ECT’s case management conference.
As of 31 December 2021, only 12 claims proceeded for adjudication at the ECT, of which eight were dismissed, one withdrawn, one pending and an amicable settlement was reached in the remaining two cases. There was no adjudicated order for compensation granted in favour of the employee for wrongful dismissal due to discrimination.
Neither TADM nor the ECT classifies wrongful dismissal claims by the types of discrimination. Therefore, we are unable to provide the breakdown requested.
PAPERCUTS