General arrangements and operational questions
The FAQ supplements the formal-request guidelines. The following answers cover all thirteen numbered topics, retaining the distinction between process, approval discretion and other employment duties. References to upcoming legislation describe the document’s publication context; they are not a statement that a later law was already in force then.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can employees request beyond an existing policy? | Yes; assess the particular request and give business grounds for rejection. |
| Does FWA change misconduct procedure? | No; conduct a formal inquiry before disciplinary action. |
| Can homeworking injury qualify for WICA? | Injury arising out of and in the course of work can qualify regardless of location; a no-fault regime can apply even where safety advice was not followed. |
| Can a review date be fixed? | Yes, employer and employee may agree it. |
| Who approves requests? | The employer may designate supervisors, HR or another approver and should state this in the process. |
| What about overseas remote work? | The guidelines generally concern Singapore arrangements. Consider productivity, work authorisation, tax and insurance before approval; reject with reasons if not feasible. |
| Are frontline roles included? | Yes after probation. Telework may be impossible, but flexi-shifts or flexi-load can still be considered. |
| Does lower flexi-load mean lower pay? | A proportionate change is usual, but agree hours, workload and remuneration first. |
| Does TAFEP handle informal-request complaints under these guidelines? | The formal-request requirements must be met; explain the process and use internal grievances or unions where appropriate. |
| Can no policy be the reason to reject? | No; formal requests still need assessment and reasonable business reasons. |
| Is rejecting a request automatically discrimination? | No; proper process and business grounds are assessed under TG-FWAR. Separately, adverse employment decisions based on protected characteristics require fair-employment assessment. |
| Can remuneration differ on FWA? | Pay fairly using ability, performance, contribution, skills and experience; a real reduction in contribution may support an adjustment, not the mere label FWA. |
| Can existing TS-FWA adopters retain recognition? | The FAQ says existing adopters remain listed and may use the logo, although new adoption ended after 1 December 2024. |
Formal request, assessment and reply
From 1 December 2024 the guidelines require a process to consider formal FWA requests by employees who completed probation, regardless of job or sector. They cover flexi-place, flexi-time and flexi-load. Informal arrangements can continue, but a formal request must follow the employer’s stated process; where none exists, use a written request with the requested arrangement, frequency/duration, reason and proposed start/end dates.
Assess requests fairly using reasonable business grounds, such as cost, adverse productivity/output or impracticability given job duties. Personal disbelief in FWAs or a blanket absence of company policy is not sufficient. Discuss alternatives where the exact request cannot work. Give a written decision within two months, with a business reason if rejecting. The right is to proper consideration, not automatic approval.
Official originals and language editions
- list of FAQs ↗ PDF