Hiring a part-time employee in Singapore may be something more companies and more potential employees are looking out for. Given the current weak business sentiments, it allows companies to continue operations while keeping costs in check, as well as enable employees seeking work to get employment.
There are some key differentiations for companies hiring a part-time employee, many of which are detailed under the Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations.
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#1 Who Is Considered A Part-Time Employee?
While both types of employees are covered under the same Employment Act in Singapore, a part-time employee is someone who is under a contract of service to work less than 35 hours a week.
Employers’ contract of service for their part-time employees must specify
- Hourly basic rate of pay
- Number of working hours per day or per week
- Number of working days per week or per month
- Hourly gross rate of pay (which includes allowances, that have to be separately itemised)
#2 Is CPF Compulsory For Part-Time Employees?
This one is filed under the CPF Act. Employers need to make CPF contributions for their part-time, casual, temporary and contract employees, as long as they earn more than $50 a month.
While the same CPF contribution rates apply to both full-time and part-time employees, the actual contributions may vary depending on the individual employee’s age and total wages in the month.
Employees who earn less than $500 will not have to make their employee CPF contributions, and employees who earn less than $750 will make lower employee CPF contributions. This does not change the employer CPF contribution rates.
Read Also: Complete Guide To Employer’s CPF Contributions In Singapore
#3 Calculating Overtime Pay For Part-Time Employees
Hours that exceed a part-time employee’s normal daily working hours in their contract will be taken as overtime work.
Part-time employees are entitled to their basic hourly pay for overtime work that exceeds their normal working hours but is less than a full-time employee’s normal working hours. However, if your part-time employee works beyond a full-time employee’s normal working hours, they are entitled to 1.5x their basic hourly rate.
| If Hours Worked | Overtime Pay |
| Exceeds daily working hours but is less than a full-time employee’s normal working hours | At basic hourly rate of pay |
| Exceeds a full-time employee’s normal working hours | At 1.5x basic hourly rate of pay |
Source: Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
For example, your part-time employees have a basic hourly rate of $10 per hour, and work 4 hours a day. Your full-time employees work 8 hours a day. If a part-time employee works 10 hours for that day, he or she is entitled to: (8 hours X $10) + (2 hours X $10 X 1.5).
Where there is no full-time employee in your company to reference, a “similar full-time employee” will be deemed to work 8 hours a day and 44 hours a week.
Read Also: Singapore Employment Act: 10 Statutory Requirements To Pay Employees
#4 Calculating Pay For Work On Part-Time Employee’s Rest Days
Part-time employees are entitled to 1 rest day per week, if they are required to work for at least 5 days a week. This can fall on any chosen day by the employer. However, if the rest day is not a Sunday, employers have to prepare a roster informing employees of their rest days before the start of each month.
If part-time employees work on rest days, their entitled pay depends on whether the request came from you (the employer) or them (the employee).
| If Work Is Done | At Employer’s Request | At Employee’s Request |
| Up to half their normal working hours | 1 day’s salary at basic rate of pay | ½ day’s salary at basic rate of pay |
| More than half their normal daily working hours | 2 days’ salary at basic rate of pay | 1 day’s salary at basic rate of pay |
| More than their normal daily working hours and up to normal hours of full-time employees | 2 days’ salary at basic rate of pay + basic hourly rate of pay | 1 day’s salary at basic rate of pay + basic hourly rate of pay |
| More than normal hours of full-time employees | 2 days’ salary at basic rate of pay + basic hourly rate of pay + 1.5x basic hourly rate of pay | 1 day’s salary at basic rate of pay + basic hourly rate of pay + 1.5x basic hourly rate of pay |
Source: Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
For example, your part-time employees have a basic hourly rate of $10 per hour, and work 4 hours a day. Your full-time employees work 8 hours a day. If a part-time employee works 10 hours on their rest day at your (the employer’s) request, he or she is entitled to: (2 X 4 hours X $10) + (4 hours X $10) + (1.5 X 2 hours X $10).
#5 Leave Entitlement For Part-Time Employees
Part-time employees are entitled to the same leave given to full-time employees. This includes paid annual leave and sick leave. Eligible parents also qualify for maternity leave, paternity leave and childcare leave. Their pay while on leave will be pro-rated based on the similar full-time employee.
Annual Leave Formula:
Source: Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations
Sick Leave Formula:
Source: Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations
Childcare Leave Formula:
Source: Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations
The government will continue to provide Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL). This is also subject to providing a minimum of 2 days.
Maternity Benefits
Female part-time employees are entitled to be paid for each day that she would ordinarily have been required to work at her gross rate of pay.
The government will continue to provide Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML).
#6 Medical Benefits For Part-Timers
Employers must pay for your medical consultation fee for their part-time employees as well. This is subject to part-time employees being 1) covered under the Employment Act; 2) completing at least 3 months of service; 3) granted at least one day of paid sick leave; and 4) the medical certificate (MC) was issued by a public medical institution or appointed by you (the employer).
#7 Calculating Part-Time Employees’ Pay Entitlement For Public Holidays
Similar to full-time employees, part-time employees are entitled to public holidays.
Part-time employees should get paid for each public holiday in Singapore. Part-time employees are entitled to a pro-rated based on the number of hours they work:
Source: Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
For example, your part-time employees work 20 hours a week (4 hours a day). Your full-time employees work 40 hours per week (8 hours a day). Here’s how the formula will be calculated: [(20 X 52 weeks) / (40 hours X 52 weeks)] X [11 Public Holidays a year in Singapore] X [8 hours] = 44 hours for all 11 public holidays.
Therefore, part-time employees should be paid 4 hours for each public holiday.
#8 Pay For Work On Public Holidays For Part-Time Employees
If you (employers) need your part-time employees to work on public holidays, you should pay them their pay entitled for public holidays + basic rate of pay for 1 day’s work.
#9 Formula To Derive Hourly Basic Rate Of Pay For Monthly-Rated Employees
If you pay your part-time employees on a monthly basis, this is how you should calculate their hourly basic rate of pay, especially for the computation of annual leaves and public holidays.
Source: Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations
As you may be able to tell, this formula will be more fair for the computation above as hours are counted over the entire year rather than on a monthly basis.
#10 Part-Time Employees Are Also Covered Under All Conditions Set Out In Singapore’s Employment Act
Singapore’s Employment Act provides protection to all types of employees, including those who are full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees. These are all employees under a contract of service.
The Employment (Part-Time Employees) Regulations is an additional consideration employers need to take note of when hiring part-time employees.
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