With the upcoming General Election in Singapore, Polling Day 2025 has been officially designated as a public holiday under Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act. This designation brings specific responsibilities for employers, especially those operating on weekends.
Key Employer Responsibilities for Polling Day 2025
- Recognition as a Public Holiday: Polling Day is a gazetted public holiday. Employers must treat it with the same considerations as other public holidays under the Employment Act.
- Employee Entitlements:
- Non-working Employees: Entitled to one day’s salary or a replacement day off.
- Employees Required to Work: Should receive either an additional day’s salary or a substitute day off.
- Time-Off-In-Lieu: Employers may offer time-off-in-lieu, provided there is mutual agreement with the employee.
Example:
✅ 𝐈𝐟 3 𝐌𝐚𝐲 (𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲) 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲
➡ Employees are entitled to 1 day off or 1 day’s salary in lieu.
✅ 𝐈𝐟 3 𝐌𝐚𝐲 (𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲) 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲 (𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟)
➡ Employees should be granted 1 extra day’s salary or 1 replacement day off.
📝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 4 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐭
➡ Employers may offer time-off-in-lieu, based on a mutual agreement.
It’s crucial for employers to ensure compliance with these guidelines to uphold fair labor practices and maintain employee trust.
Resources for Employers
For assistance in reviewing shift arrangements or pay entitlements related to Polling Day, feel free to reach out!
