GE2025: Employees should be given day off or salary in lieu as Polling Day falls on a Saturday, says MOM

SINGAPORE: Employees should be given a day off or salary in lieu, since Polling Day falls on a Saturday, the Ministry of Manpower said on Tuesday (Apr 15).

Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 for the country's 14th General Election. Polling Day has been declared a public holiday.

"The ministry would like to inform companies that Polling Day, as a public holiday, should be treated in the same manner as any other public holiday," MOM added.

MOM said all employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid public holidays.

"If Polling Day is a non-working day for the employee, he is entitled to either a day off or salary in lieu. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, he is entitled to an extra day’s salary for the day’s work, or be given a day off," it added.

The ministry also said employers have the additional option of granting time-off-in-lieu, based on a mutually agreed number of hours, for working on a public holiday for certain groups of employees. 

These include workmen earning more than S$4,500 a month or non-workmen earning more than S$2,600 a month. It also includes all managers and executives.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved parliament on Tuesday and Nomination Day has been set for Apr 23, which marks the start of the nine-day campaign period. 

May 2, the day before Polling Day, is Cooling-off Day. 

The upcoming contest will be the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who was sworn in last May, and Singapore's fourth-generation or 4G leadership team.

Mr Wong was named secretary-general of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in December 2024, succeeding Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the helm of the party.

At stake in this General Election are 97 seats across 33 constituencies, comprising 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMC).

The Elections Department (ELD) on Mar 27 said that it has completed the compilation of the composite Registers of Electors based on the new electoral boundaries. 

The registers were made available for public inspection from Mar 28. 

Singaporeans may check their particulars via the ELD website or under the My Profile section on the Singpass App. 

Those who are unable to check their particulars in the registers electronically may do so at any community centre or club, or ServiceSG Centre.

They can also do so at the ELD office by making an e-appointment or calling 1800-225-5353.

Overseas Singaporeans who cannot do so online may check their particulars at Singapore overseas missions serving as overseas registration centres.