Singapore(VNA) - The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) ofSingapore has issued a new regulation requiring employment agencies in thecountry to meet new licence conditions to strengthen fair hiring practices.
The nearly 3,900 employment agencies licensed by MOM must not in any wayabet discriminatory hiring by their clients, such as by withholdingapplications based on age, race, nationality, gender and disability.
They must also turndown requests or instructions from clients to carry out discriminatory hiring,it added.
In addition to helpingclients fulfil job advertising requirements, employment agencies must also"make reasonable efforts" to attract Singaporeans for vacanciesand consider all applicants based on merit, said MOM.
These licenceconditions take effect from October, and those that do not comply may havetheir licence revoked or suspended, or be issued demerit points.
The new regulation came amid the increasing unemploymentrate in the city state due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The rate isforecast to jump to 4 percent in late 2020, from 2.6 percent recorded lastyear. This is considered a next step of the Singaporean government to addressemployment for local residents as the general election is approaching./.