Section 29Q — Progressive wages as condition of registration

(1)Without limiting section 29P, the registration of a person for any class of registrable activity is subject to the following conditions:

(a)on or after the prescribed date for that class of registrable activity, for every citizen of Singapore or permanent resident of Singapore who is employed or is to be employed by the person to carry out the registrable activity in the course of the person’s business (called an employee), there must be a contract of service in writing that —

(i)contains terms not inconsistent with the requirements in subsection (2) for the progressive wage plan in respect of that person’s business of carrying out registrable activity in the course of business;

(ii)provides for the payment to that employee a basic wage that is not less than the minimum amount specified under subsection (3) for the class of employees to which that employee belongs; and

(iii)provides for the payment to that employee a progressive wage model bonus that is not less than the minimum amount, and at the frequency, specified under subsection (3) if the employee belongs to the eligible class of employees who carry out that registrable activity specified under that subsection;[Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024]

(b)the person registered must issue to each employee mentioned in paragraph (a) that the person registered employs a pay slip containing such particulars of that employee’s basic wage and such other payment received by that employee from the person, and at such frequency, as may be prescribed.

(2)Every progressive wage plan in respect of any class of registrable activity carried out in the course of business by a person registered or an applicant for registration in relation to that registrable activity must —

(a)relate to every citizen of Singapore or permanent resident of Singapore the person registered or applicant employs or proposes to employ to carry out that registrable activity in the course of business (called employees);[Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024]

(b)specify the basic wage payable to every employee in paragraph (a) that is on an increasing scale depending on seniority, responsibilities, work experience and training received in carrying out that class of registrable activities;

(c)specify an amount as the basic wage for each class of employees in paragraph (a) that is not less than the amount specified under subsection (3)(a) for that class; and

(d)specify that where the employee in paragraph (a) belongs to a class of employees specified as eligible for a progressive wage model bonus under subsection (3)(b), the employee will be paid a progressive wage model bonus.

(3)The Commissioner of Building Control must, by order, specify —

(a)the amount of the basic wage mentioned in subsection (1)(a)(ii) and when that amount takes effect; and

(b)the minimum amount of the progressive wage model bonus, the frequency of payment, and the eligible class of employees for the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(iii).

(4)An order under subsection (3) may specify different basic wages or minimum amounts (as the case may be) for different classes of employees, and may be varied from time to time.

(5)In making an order under subsection (3), the Commissioner of Building Control must consider the recommendations by the Tripartite Cluster for Lift and Escalator Industry, if any.

(6)In respect of an order made under subsection (3) —

(a)the Commissioner of Building Control must publish every such order made in any way which the Commissioner of Building Control thinks appropriate to bring the order to the notice of persons who, in his or her opinion, ought to have notice of the order; but[Act 15 of 2026 wef 01/07/2026]

(b)a failure to publish any order in compliance with paragraph (a) does not invalidate that order.

(7)A specified amount takes effect for the purposes of this Part, even though the basic wage that would have been payable to an employee under any collective agreement as defined in section 2 of the Industrial Relations Act 1960 is lower than the specified amount.[Act 15 of 2026 wef 01/07/2026]

(8)Where, immediately before the prescribed date for a class of registrable activity, a person is registered to carry out that registrable activity in the course of business, the Commissioner of Building Control may require the person to submit a progressive wage plan in respect of the person’s business that is in conformity with subsection (2) within a time specified by the Commissioner of Building Control.

(9)In this section, “Tripartite Cluster for Lift and Escalator Industry” means the body, comprising the representatives from employers, service buyers, the trade unions of employees and the Government, which is responsible for making recommendations on progressive wages for lift and escalator maintenance personnel.[Act 12 of 2020 wef 09/12/2022]