People with mental health conditions will no longer have to declare this in job application forms.

The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) has recently updated its guidelines and now advises employers that they "should not ask job applicants to declare personal information such as their mental health condition unless there is a job related requirement." 

In addition, TAFEP has also stated that employers should remove all declarations on mental health condition from the job application forms. 

Not abiding by TAFEP guidelines in the future may render employers liable to enforcement actions by the Ministry of Manpower on the grounds of discrimination.

According to The Straits Times, TAFEP has engaged more than 8,000 employers to raise awareness.

Halimah Yacob affirms TAFEP's recent guidelines update

On Jan. 20, President Halimah Yacob posted an update on Facebook, affirming TAFEP's recent move.

Halimah stated:

"Many have campaigned against a requirement in job application forms for a person to state his or mental health condition. I’m really glad that the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices has now declared that this is discriminatory. Indeed it is."

She continued by saying that applicants with mental health conditions will not get the job if they are honest in their declarations, yet are also susceptible to dismissal by their employers if they hide their condition and it is subsequently discovered.

Halimah ended off her post by saying  that the practice of having to declare one's mental health condition is not only discriminatory but also a "major contributing factor as to why people with mental health issues do not seek treatment".

Previously, a 2016 study by Institute of Mental Health found that one in seven people here have experienced a mental health condition at some point in their life.

You can read her full post here: