Who the Employment Act Covers in Singapore (Part IV Thresholds)
The Employment Act 1968 is Singapore's main employment statute, and the first question on any employment issue is whether it applies to you and, if so, how far. There are two layers to that answer: the core Act, which now reaches almost everyone, and Part IV, which reaches a narrower group.
Getting the two layers right matters, because Part IV carries the hours-and-overtime protections that many people assume every employee has.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified advocate and solicitor about your situation. Figures are current as of 2026 and the Employment Act is under a broad tripartite review with recommendations expected in the second half of 2026.
Core coverage: all employees since 1 April 2019
The core provisions of the Employment Act now apply to all employees under a contract of service with an employer. MOM states this directly: all employees under a contract of service are covered, subject only to the exclusions below.
This was not always so. Before 1 April 2019, professionals, managers and executives earning above S$4,500 a month were excluded from the Act altogether. That salary cap was removed on 1 April 2019, extending core coverage, including protection against wrongful dismissal, paid annual and sick leave, public holidays and timely salary payment, to roughly 430,000 additional managers and executives.
The result is that job title and salary no longer decide whether the core Act applies. If you work under a contract of service, it generally does.
Who is still excluded
Three groups fall outside the Employment Act entirely. MOM lists them as public servants (including statutory board employees and civil servants), domestic workers and seafarers.
These groups are not left without protection; they are governed by other regimes. Public officers have their own service terms, domestic workers are covered by the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and its work-permit conditions, and seafarers are dealt with under the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Act.
If you are in one of these three groups, the pages in this section on notice, retrenchment and dismissal do not apply to you in the same way.
Part IV: the narrower group
Part IV of the Employment Act (written as Part 4 on MOM's pages) contains the rules on rest days, hours of work, overtime, overtime pay and annual leave calculation. This is where the well-known limits, such as the cap on ordinary hours and the entitlement to overtime pay, actually live.
Part IV does not cover everyone the core Act covers. It is restricted in two independent ways, and both restrictions have to be cleared before Part IV applies.
The Part IV salary thresholds
The first restriction is salary. MOM sets the current thresholds as follows:
| Employee category | Basic monthly salary threshold |
|---|---|
| Workman (manual labour) | S$4,500 or less |
| Non-workman employee | S$2,600 or less |
The figure is basic monthly salary, which excludes overtime payments, bonuses, allowances and reimbursements. A worker earning above the relevant threshold is outside Part IV, even though the core Act still covers them.
These are the current figures as of 2026. The non-workman cap was itself raised, from S$2,500 to S$2,600, at the same 1 April 2019 changeover, so older sources quoting S$2,500 are out of date.
The manager and executive exclusion
The second restriction is job category, and it is easy to miss. Part IV does not cover any manager or executive, whatever the salary.
This is a separate exclusion layer from the dollar thresholds. A manager or executive earning below S$2,600 a month is still outside Part IV, because the exclusion turns on the role, not the pay. A page that only quotes the two salary figures is incomplete: a low-paid manager gains nothing from being under S$2,600, because the occupational exclusion applies first.
The practical effect is that managers and executives do not have a statutory right to overtime pay or to the Part IV hours limits, even though they receive every core protection such as timely salary and protection against wrongful dismissal.
What Part IV coverage gives you
If you clear both restrictions, so you are a workman earning S$4,500 or less, or a non-workman earning S$2,600 or less, and you are not a manager or executive, Part IV gives you the statutory limits on working hours, the entitlement to a weekly rest day, and overtime pay for work beyond normal hours.
If you are outside Part IV, your working hours and any overtime arrangement are governed by your employment contract rather than by statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Employment Act cover professionals, managers and executives in Singapore?
Yes, for its core provisions. Since 1 April 2019 the core Employment Act covers all employees under a contract of service, including professionals, managers, executives and technicians. The old S$4,500 salary cap that excluded higher earners was removed on that date. Managers and executives remain outside Part IV, which governs hours and overtime.
Who is not covered by the Singapore Employment Act?
Three groups are excluded from the Act entirely: public servants, including statutory board employees and civil servants; domestic workers; and seafarers. Each is governed by a separate regime rather than by the Employment Act.
What are the Part IV salary thresholds?
Part IV, which sets rest days, hours of work and overtime, applies to a workman earning a basic monthly salary of S$4,500 or less and to a non-workman earning S$2,600 or less. Basic monthly salary excludes overtime, bonuses and allowances. These are the current figures as of 2026.
Is a low-paid manager covered by Part IV?
No. All managers and executives are excluded from Part IV regardless of salary. The exclusion turns on the job category, not the pay, so a manager earning below S$2,600 a month is still outside Part IV. That manager keeps every core Employment Act protection, but has no statutory right to Part IV overtime pay or hours limits.
Are the Part IV salary caps about to change?
No change has been announced as of 2026. A tripartite workgroup is reviewing the Employment Act more broadly, with recommendations expected in the second half of 2026. Until any change is made, the S$4,500 and S$2,600 thresholds remain current, and the page should be checked again once the review reports.
Updates
A broad Employment Act review by a tripartite workgroup is under way, with recommendations expected in the second half of 2026. Areas flagged in commentary include leave and overtime entitlements. No change to the S$4,500 or S$2,600 Part IV thresholds has been announced; this page reflects the position current as of 2026 and should be re-checked once the workgroup reports.
Core Employment Act coverage extended to all employees. The S$4,500 salary cap that had excluded higher-earning managers and executives was removed, and the non-workman Part IV threshold was raised from S$2,500 to S$2,600.
Sources and References
- Ministry of Manpower, Who is covered by the Employment Act(mom.gov.sg).gov
- Ministry of Manpower, Employment Act: who it covers and what it provides(mom.gov.sg).gov
- Employment Act 1968, Singapore Statutes Online(sso.agc.gov.sg).gov