Religious organisations, including churches, will continue to be able to advertise and hire for roles based on a candidate’s religion, thanks to an exemption made in a new law.

The Workplace Fairness Bill, which was passed in Parliament on January 8, prevents employers from making “adverse employment decisions” – including hiring, appraisal, training, promotion and dismissal – based on an employee’s:

• Age
• Nationality
• Sex, marital status, pregnancy status and caregiving responsibilities
• Race, religion and language
• Disability and mental health conditions

According to a news release by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), these make up more than 95% of discrimination complaints received by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and MOM.

However, the Bill made an exemption for religious groups, which will be allowed to decline hiring a person who does not profess the same religion.

This is for roles that are related to:

• The profession, practice or propagation of the religion, or instruction in the religion
• The establishment, maintenance, administration or operation of (a) a place of worship, (b) an institution that is mainly used for religious instruction, or (c) an institution whose primary purpose is to manage, govern or organise a religious group or activities

Religious organisations – defined as groups whose primary purpose is the profession, practice or propagation of a religion – are also allowed to communicate to others or in advertisements, whether verbally or in writing, that being of the same religion is a criterion for employment in these roles.

The other clauses in the Bill, which seeks to “strengthen protections for jobseekers and employees against discrimination, while retaining flexibility for employers to meet genuine business needs”, will apply to religious organisations.

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