As Singapore gears up for its 14th General Election on 3 May 2024, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has issued important guidance for employers and employees regarding Polling Day. Falling on a Saturday, this day has been officially declared a public holiday, allowing Singaporeans the opportunity to cast their votes.
Employee Rights on Polling Day
MOM has made it clear that Polling Day should be treated similarly to any other public holiday. Here’s what employees need to know:
- All employees covered under the Employment Act are entitled to a paid public holiday.
- If Polling Day is a non-working day for an employee, they are entitled to either a day off or salary in lieu.
- Employees required to work on this holiday are entitled to either an extra day’s salary or a day off at a later date.
Time-Off in Lieu for Certain Employees
Furthermore, employers have the option to grant time-off in lieu for employees who work on Polling Day. This applies to specific groups:
- Workmen earning more than S$4,500 per month
- Non-workmen earning over S$2,600 per month
- All managers and executives
Election Timeline
In the lead-up to the elections, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officially dissolved Parliament on 15 April 2024, marking the beginning of the election process. Nomination Day is scheduled for 23 April, with a total of 97 seats up for grabs across 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).
For more details about public holiday provisions, visit the Ministry of Manpower’s official website.