Source: TAFEP

Guide to Job application forms

The purpose of a job application is to aid the company's hiring manager to have a standardised format for finding the most suitable candidate for the position and to digitalise the varying resume formats submitted by applicants. This helps to filter out unsuitable candidates automatically and boost the productivity of the hiring process. The principle of hiring should be on merit only and not on other traits. According to TAFEP, employers should follow the provision for a "fair job application form" to avoid discriminatory hiring practices where job application forms are unfairly filtering out candidates based on their traits. Criteria that should not be asked in a job application form include:

• age (This includes NRIC and date of birth)
• gender
• race
• religion
• marital status
• family responsibilities
• disability
• photographs

Other criteria such as language spoken, health history, and dietary requirements should also not be asked unless there are good reasons to include them in the job application form. E.g. health records and food requirements should be asked tactfully and not be offensive to any race or religion. For example, acceptable ways of asking could be, "Are you comfortable carrying heavy equipment around as part of your job scope?" or "Are you comfortable handling pork/beef daily as part of your job scope?" 

 

Other key points to take note of regarding anti-discriminatory practices for hiring

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced during the National Day Rally 2021 that the tripartite guidelines on fair employment practices will no longer be "guidelines" but will soon be enshrined into "law". This means that penalties for breaching TAFEP's practices will become harsher, and companies need to be very mindful of what they can or cannot do concerning job postings.
The Philosophy of TAFEP is to hire based on merit and ability, not traits. "Progressive" hiring practices provide opportunities for all regardless of race, language, religion, and other traits; This is especially so for the marginalised traits that are often discriminated against. Meritocracy is the central theme in decision-making that weaves through most employment laws in Singapore. So, TAFEP tries to promote transparency on the job requirements with the following desired outcomes:

• Recruit Based on Merit
• Respect Employees
• Provide Fair Opportunities
• Reward Fairly
• Comply with Labour Law

 

Job advertisements are the most public-facing of all recruitment practices, meaning a mistake here can make one easily identified and liable for non-compliance. The key is to hire based on ability based on

• What they can do
• What they need to do
• What they know how to do

Discriminatory criteria can be thought of as decisions made based on an assumption of the person's ability based on a trait they have, such as:

 

1) Age

Age as a metric for judging a person's physical, mental, and skill-based ability is discriminatory as this is an assumption.

 

Do: 

State the physical demands required for the job

For E.g. the Candidate needs to carry heavy loads regularly.

 

Avoid: 

Stating an age range

E.g. Age between 25 to 35 only

 

-Describing the workplace as being skewed to one age group

E.g. Young working environment

 

2) Gender

The nature of some jobs may require a specific gender. First, however, the reason needs to be clearly stated.

 

Do:

State that the nature of the job requires specific gender. Establishments where customers would be more comfortable having the same gender, such as a therapist/masseuse, may state gender requirements. E.g. Health spa requires female therapists to do personal body massages and spa treatments for their female customers. This is acceptable as the service provided is comfortable, and the same gender will raise the comfort level.

 

Avoid:

-Prefer one gender over the other based on bias existing in the gender

E.g. Females preferred to teach students 

 

-Describing the workplace as being skewed to one gender

E.g. Male environment

 

3) Race

The rule of thumb is to avoid mentioning race in the job description or implying that one is preferred.

 

Avoid:

-Mentioning any race preferences

 

-Labelling the work environment as being dominated by non-English language. E.g. Chinese, speaking environment. The ability of candidates to speak Chinese with colleagues does not play a factor in their ability to work. The administrative language of Singapore is English, and it should be the standard working language.

 

4) Religion

Religion is sometimes used to prevent certain groups of the population from applying. This needs to be avoided.

 

5) Language

Some jobs require specific language skills for translation, liaising with counterparts/clients in other countries/ to teach that language, etc.

Language is in this list, even though the language is a skill and not a trait, due to the high propensity of using language as a bypass for hiring specific races.

To balance this, so that companies can look for candidates with required language skills while not being seen as discriminatory, companies need to be transparent on why they need this skill from the candidate.

Simply put, avoid stating language requirements without an explanation.

 

Do:

E.g. This position is a translator role, thus requiring someone fluent in English and Mandarin. E.g. This position requires liaising with partners in India. Thus Tamil proficiency is required.

 

Avoid:

E.g. Bilingual in English and Mandarin

E.g. the Tamil language is advantageous 

 

6) Nationality

When it comes to TAFEP, we need to understand that it exists to protect Singaporeans first and foremost. Therefore, it is best to avoid requiring a specific nationality and visa status.

 

Avoid:

-Stating that non-Singaporeans are preferred or considered

E.g. Non-Singaporeans preferred.

E.g. SPRs are welcome!

E.g. Foreigners can also apply.

 

-Mentioning that the role accepts S Pass workers/Work pass 

E.g. S Pass quota available/Work pass will be applied for successful candidates

 

-Any mention of visa status

E.g. EP/DP preferred

 

7) Marital Status

A candidate's marital status should not be required in any job applications.

 

While not explicitly stated with examples, fair employment practices are more than personal traits. With the increased focus by the Singapore government on WFH arrangement and mental health, we may likely see more traits being enshrined into law along with what already exists. Factors such as discrimination against disabilities or mental health diagnoses already exist and are likely candidates for any addition to the above list. 

 

It could be confusing and challenging to craft a good job application and description sometimes, according to TAFEP's guidelines, so do reach out to RCNSG if you would like to get trained professionals for assistance to ensure that your job posts and application forms are optimised for compliance and visibility.