Part-time employment has been an increasingly popular option in Singapore, allowing for more flexibility while balancing other commitments. The perks don’t stop there! In fact, did you know part-timers are entitled to benefits like paid public holidays, annual leave, and more? Let’s dive into this month’s article to uncover key regulations and entitlements for part-time work in Singapore

What Is Considered Part-Time Work in Singapore?

According to the Employment Act, a part-time employee is one who is contracted to work less than 35 hours a week. Despite their shorter hours, part-time employees are protected by the same labour laws as full-time employees.

What Should Be in Your Part-Time Contract?

A Contract of Service should contain the following key specifications:

• Hourly rate of pay (with and without allowances)
• Number of working hours and days
• Pro-rated benefits and entitlements

Entitlements For Part-Time Employees

Now for the most exciting part, what are part-timers entitled to, and how do they work?

1. Leave entitlements

Although not commonly known, part-timers under Employment Act are qualified for paid annual leave, sick leave, and hospitalisation leave. If conditions are met, there may also be paid maternity, paternity, shared parental, childcare and adoption leave.

How to calculate Annual Leave (AL):

(Part-time working hours per year / Full-time working hours per year) x AL days for Full-time with equal length of service x Working hours in a day for Full-time

Example

Part-time: 20 hours /week

Full-time: 40 hours /week (8 hours /day)

Full-time AL: 14 days /year

((20×52) / (40×52)) x 14 x 8 = Part-timer is entitled to 56 hours of AL per year

Similarly, sick leave and hospitalisation leave are pro-rated in the same way and granted in hours instead of days.

2. Overtime Pay

Part-timers qualify for Overtime (OT) pay when they exceed their contractual working hours. How much you get paid depends on how your hours stack up against those of a full-timer in a similar role.

How it works:

More than contracted hours but less than Full-time hours: Regular hourly basic rate

Exceeding Full-time hours: 1.5x the hourly rate

3. Paid Public Holidays

Part-timers are entitled to paid public holidays (PH), where payment for the day is pro-rated based on the number of hours you work.

How to calculate paid public holidays:

(Part-time working hours per year / Full-time working hours per year) x PH days for a Full-timer with equal length of service x Working hours in a day for Full-timer

Example

Part-time: 20 hours /week

Full-time: 40 hours week (8 hours /day)

1 year: 52 weeks

PH: 11 days /year

((20×52) / (40×52)) x 11 x 8 = 44 hours of pay for 11 public holidays

44 hours / 11 = Part-timer is entitled to 4 hours of pay per public holiday

4. Rest Days

Are you a Part-timer covered under the Part 4 of the Employment Act? If so, this section is for you.

If the part-timer is required to work at least 5 days a week, they are entitled to 1 rest day per week. The rest day will be determined by the employer beforehand.

However, if a part-timer is required to work on a rest day, their pay will depend on:

Employers’ request:

Up to half their regular work hours: 1 day’s salary at basic hourly rate

More than half their regular work hours: 2 day’s salary at basic hourly rate

More than their regular work hours, up to FT work hours: 2 day’s salary + basic hourly rate

More than FT work hours: 2 day’s salary + basic hourly rate + 1.5x basic hourly rate

Employee’s request:

Up to half their regular work hours: 0.5 day’s salary at basic hourly rate

More than half their regular work hours: 1 day’s salary at basic hourly rate

More than their regular work hours, up to FT work hours: 1 day’s salary + basic hourly rate

More than FT work hours: 1 day’s salary + basic hourly rate + 1.5x basic hourly rate

5. CPF contributions

Just like full-timers, part-timers are entitled to CPF contributions from their employers.

CPF contributions are payable if the Part-timer is:

• Singapore Citizen/ Permanent Resident
• Earning more than $50 /month
• Engaged under a contract of service (employer-employee relationship)

Flexibility Without Compromising Rights

Part-time employment in Singapore offers a perfect balance between flexible working arrangements and safeguarding employee rights. Whether you are balancing family responsibilities, furthering your education, or pursuing personal passions, Part-time work provides the adaptability you need without sacrificing benefits or security.

We hope this guide has shed some light on your rights as a Part-time employee and inspires confidence in exploring this flexible career option. For any enquiries on employment contract disputes or drafting, engage our seasoned professionals for legal assistance.

Disclaimer: The content of this article does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Specific legal advice should be sought for your circumstances.