In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Under the Tripartite Guidelines (in effect from 1 December 2024), employers should have a process for formal FWA requests and give a written decision within 2 months, with reasons if rejected. A simple form, a log with a due date per request and a reply template cover it.
What the Tripartite Guidelines require
MOM's flexible work arrangements page says the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests (TG-FWAR) took effect on 1 December 2024. They cover formal requests only; informal arrangements that already work can continue. This is a summary, not legal advice.
| Requirement | What the guidelines say |
|---|---|
| Who can request | Employees who have completed probation; employers may also consider requests from those on probation |
| Your process | Employers should have a process, such as a work portal or email to the supervisor, and communicate any required format upfront |
| If you have no format | A written request with the date, the FWA asked for including frequency and duration, the reason, and start and end dates if relevant |
| Response time | A written decision within two months of receiving the request, including any discussion |
| If rejected | Include the reason in the written decision; employers are encouraged to discuss alternatives |
| Grounds for rejection | Reasonable business grounds such as cost, productivity or output, or feasibility |
The guidelines list unreasonable grounds too: management does not believe in FWAs, a supervisor simply prefers to see staff in the office despite good performance, or it has never been the company's custom.
The three pieces of a simple FWA system
A business with 5 to 50 staff does not need HR software for this. It needs three things that work together:
- A request form that captures what the guidelines list, so every formal request is complete and dated.
- A log with one row per request, a received date and a decision-due date two months later, visible to whoever approves.
- A reply template that records the decision, any conditions, the review date and the reason if rejected.
MOM's FAQs say employers can decide who approves FWA requests, such as the direct supervisor or HR, and suggest stating this clearly in the process. Put the approver's name on the form so requests do not get lost.
Set it up in an afternoon
This works in Microsoft Forms with Excel or SharePoint, or Google Forms with Sheets. The steps are the same.
Build the request form
Fields: name, role, date of request, current working days, hours and location, requested FWA (type, days, hours, location), frequency and duration, start and end dates, reason. Base it on Annex A of the guidelines.
Send responses to a restricted log
Each submission lands as a row. Only HR and the approver can open the file, not the whole team.
Add status and due-date columns
Status (received, discussing, approved, approved with changes, rejected), received date, decision due date = received date plus two months, decision date, review date.
Automate reminders
Send the approver an email when a request arrives and again two weeks before the due date if the status is still open.
Use a written reply template
Based on Annex B: the decision, start date, any conditions such as core hours or contactability, the review date, and the reason if rejected.
Tell staff where the form is
Put the link and the process in your employee handbook or intranet. MOM says requirements such as a format or template should be communicated upfront.
Making and recording the decision
The guidelines say each request should be judged case by case on business needs, and employers are not expected to approve the same FWA for everyone at once where there are valid business grounds. Your log should show that the request was properly considered.
Reasonable grounds (per the guidelines)
- Significant increase in cost to the employer
- Significant drop in quality or quantity of output, or in meeting customer needs
- Not feasible due to the job role, or needs hiring to accommodate
Unreasonable grounds (per the guidelines)
- Management does not believe in FWAs
- Supervisor wants to see staff in office despite satisfactory performance
- The company has never allowed FWAs before
If you approve, agree how the employee stays contactable and how performance will be assessed, and set a review date. MOM's FAQs say employers and employees may agree when an FWA will be reviewed.
PDPA: handling reasons and health details
FWA requests often include sensitive reasons: a medical condition, a child's needs, caring for a parent. That is personal data under the PDPA, and in some cases about family members too. Our guide to employee personal data under the PDPA covers the wider rules.
Personal data in FWA requests
If staff work from home after approval, make sure their devices and logins are set up properly; our remote team IT setup guide covers laptops, access and security.
Do it yourself or get help?
A form and a shared sheet with a due-date column is enough for most small businesses, and you can build it in an afternoon. Help is useful when requests come in through several channels, you want automatic reminders and approvals, or the log should feed into your HR or payroll system.
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Workflow Automation (S$390) connects your request form, approval emails, due-date reminders and log in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with access limited to the right people. Questions on how the guidelines apply go to TAFEP or your HR adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Under the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, employers should give a written decision within two months of receiving a formal request. That period includes any clarifications and discussions. If the request is rejected, the written decision should include the reason, and employers are encouraged to discuss alternatives.
If the employer has stipulated a format or template, a formal request follows it. If not, it is a written request with the date, the arrangement requested including frequency and duration, the reason, and start and end dates if relevant. Requests that do not meet these requirements are not formal requests under the guidelines.
Yes, but it should be based on reasonable business grounds, not personal bias. The guidelines give examples such as a significant increase in cost, a significant drop in productivity or output, or the arrangement not being feasible for the role. Reasons like management not believing in FWAs are given as unreasonable.
The guidelines say all employees who have completed probation can make a formal FWA request. Employers are not required to, but can, consider requests from employees still on probation. The length of probation is determined by the employer. Informal arrangements can continue alongside the formal process.
The guidelines say employees whose employers did not follow them, for example by not properly considering a formal request, can approach TAFEP, NTUC or their union for advice and assistance. A dated log showing when the request arrived, the discussion and the written decision is your best record.