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According to MOM and TADM's latest report, 94% of the employees who lodged salary claims in the year fully recovered their salaries at TADM and ECT - similar to in 2023.
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower released its Employment Standards Report 2024 on 26 August 2025, revealing that nine in 10 salary claims last year were resolved at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).
The proportion of salary claims that were resolved at TADM in 2024 was 90%, slightly higher than 88% in the previous year. The remaining 10% were referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) for adjudication, reflecting the continued effectiveness of TADM’s mediation process to resolve majority of claims amicably and expeditiously.
Of the salary claims lodged in 2024,
- 94% of the employees fully recovered their salaries at TADM and ECT, similar to in 2023.
- 4% recovered their salaries partially through settlement payments from security bond insurers and main contractors or were assisted through financial assistance for lower-wage workers under Short-Term Relief Fund (STRF) or Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund (MWAF), administered by TADM and Migrant Workers’ Centre respectively.
- The remaining did not recover any salaries and were mainly higher income earners.
For employers who did not fully repay their employees, MOM did not allow them to apply or renew work passes for foreign employees until they rectified the payments. Less than 1% of the salary claims lodged in 2024 involved willful employers who refused to make full payment for the salary arrears despite having the means to do so.
The total recovered sum to employees increased to S$19mn in 2024, from S$14mn in 2023. The increase is consistent with the higher number of salary claims lodged in 2024.
Number of salary claims concluded expeditiously within two months
The proportion of salary claims that were concluded at TADM within two months in 2024 was 87%, slightly lower than 90% in 2023.
Number of incidences of salary claims per 1,000 employees
The incidence of salary claims increased to 2.63 per 1,000 employees in 2024, from 2.19 per 1,000 employees in 2023. This was slightly lower than the pre-COVID period in 2019 (2.68 per 1,000 employees). The incidence of salary claims has remained higher for foreign employees compared to local employees.
Among local employees, the incidence of salary claims increased to 1.59 per 1,000 local employees in 2024 compared to 1.32 per 1,000 local employees in 2023. The top three sectors with salary claims lodged in 2024 were:
- Information & communications,
- Administrative & support service activities, and
- Food & beverage service activities, similar to 2023.
The information & communications sector moved from third highest sector in 2023 to top sector in 2024 due to a high number of claims involving a few firms which had cashflow issues.
Among foreign employees, the incidence of salary claims increased to 4.64 per 1,000 foreign employees in 2024 compared to 3.91 per 1,000 foreign employees in 2023. The top three sectors in 2024 were:
- Construction,
- Manufacturing, and
- Food & beverage service activities, same as 2023.
The construction sector continued to be a key contributor of salary claims, due to companies facing business failures, financial difficulties or undergoing liquidation.
Wrongful dismissal claims
The overall incidence of wrongful dismissal claims increased from 0.32 in 2023 to 0.46 per 1,000 employees in 2024, and 71% of the cases were resolved at TADM. This is slightly higher than 2023, where 70% of the cases were resolved at TADM, and the remaining referred to ECT for adjudication.
Of the cases that were resolved at TADM, majority involved cases where employers were found to have fulfilled their contractual or statutory obligations, or the cases were withdrawn after mediation.
Overall, in 2024, 86% of wrongful dismissal claims were concluded at TADM within two months, an increase from 79% in 2023.
TADM’s role in supporting implementation
With the Platform Workers Act (PW Act), which took effect from 1 January 2025, TADM will serve as a key avenue for dispute resolution, ensuring that both workers and platform operators have access to fair and timely mediation when issues arise.
By providing this neutral and structured platform, TADM helps give effect to the three pillars of protection under the PW Act:
- Ensuring CPF contributions for housing and retirement adequacy.
- Securing Work Injury Compensation (WIC) at the same level of coverage as employees.
- Supporting representation through Platform Work Associations (PWAs), much like how trade unions represent employees.
Through its role in managing disputes and fostering constructive engagement, TADM helps strengthen the social compact, ensuring that labour standards are upheld while maintaining the flexibility that characterises platform work.
READ MORE: More salary claims were filed in Singapore in 2023, but fewer compared to pre-COVID, MOM & TADM say
Infographics / MOM Employment Standards Report 2024
Lead image / MOM Facebook
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