The Platform Workers Act 2024 (PWA) commenced fully on 1 January 2025, strengthening protections for platform workers. The PWA regulates platform workers and platform operators, ensuring financial protection in cases of work injuries, regulating Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for platform workers, and enhancing the representation of platform workers in work disputes.
Under the PWA, a platform operator is an entity or individual that provides either a ride-hail or delivery service (collectively, platform service) and exercises management control over one or more platform workers. A platform worker is an individual ride-hail or delivery worker under a platform work agreement with a platform operator, that is under the management control of the platform operator when providing the platform service.
A platform operator exercises management control over a platform worker when it uses data from users and platform workers in an automated manner to decide a platform worker’s access to work, tasks or pay, and imposes rules on working conditions, payment negotiations, client relationships or working hours, among others, beyond legal requirements.
First, a platform operator must notify the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within 14 days of either becoming an operator or being directed by MOM to do so.
Second, platform operators must keep records of its platform workers for 2 years from the creation of each entry and issue corresponding earnings slips to all platform workers. Records must be kept for 2 years from the former platform worker’s last task.
Third, platform workers and operators are now required to make CPF contributions. The contributions generally vary depending if workers were born before or after 1 January 1995. However, older workers can opt in to increased CPF contributions similar to those born on or after that date.
Finally, platform operators must take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of their platform workers pursuant to the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 and provide work injury compensation insurance to their platform workers under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019.
The PWA regulates platform work associations that can engage in collective bargaining, which may be registered with the MOM.
Importantly, platform operators cannot contractually restrict a platform worker’s right to join or participate in a platform work association. At present, three platform work associations have been recognised by MOM: the National Taxi Association, National Private Hire Vehicles Association, and National Delivery Champions Association.
The PWA strengthens protections for platform workers, recognising their integral role in providing services in Singapore. Platform workers should be aware of their newly granted protections and platform operators should understand and comply with their new obligations.
OrionW regularly advises clients on employment matters. For more information about compliance with employment regulations, or if you have questions about this article, please contact us at info@orionw.com.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
