Are Workplace Romances Illegal in Singapore?

Last updated on June 30, 2026

Back in January 2026, local headlines were buzzing with videos purporting that Melvin Lim, CEO of PropertyLimBrothers (a prominent Singaporean real estate company), and vice president for Strategy, Grayce Tan of the same firm, were involved in an extramarital affair. It served as a stark reminder that while dating a colleague might seem like a purely personal matter, it can quickly give rise to potential legal and HR-related issues.

Since the majority of Singaporeans spend most of their waking hours at work, it is little to no surprise that relationships sometimes blossom between colleagues. If you are navigating a workplace romance with a co-worker, you may need to know where the professional boundaries are drawn. In the same vein, you may wonder – can a company legally discipline or fire you over a workplace romance?

This article will discuss:

Are Workplace Romances Illegal in Singapore?

To be clear, workplace romances are not illegal under Singapore law.

However, “not illegal” does not mean “no consequences”. In fact, workplace romances may raise serious employment law and professional conduct issues depending on the circumstances. Things can get messy fast if the relationship involves or goes against:

Company HR policies: Some HR handbooks have strict “no-dating” policies or disclosure requirements.
Allegations of favouritism: If other colleagues feel there is favouritism (e.g. the romantic partner of a colleague getting better project leads), it can become an HR nightmare.

What are the Legal and HR-Related Issues with Workplace Romances?

The disclosure requirement

When navigating a workplace romance, the most immediate issue is navigating your company’s HR policy. Many companies require you to formally declare any romantic relationship with a colleague, especially if:

One party manages or evaluates the other: For example, if a manager dates an employee whose performance they are responsible for evaluating. This is a clear conflict of interest as the manager’s objective judgment may be compromised.
There is a potential business conflict: For example, if a procurement manager dates a vendor’s representative, their objective business judgment may be compromised.

Readers should be aware that some sectors, such as the public service and financial institutions, may have stricter disclosure or conflict of interest rules compared to the general private sector. This is because these roles often involve a high degree of public trust and fiduciary duties (i.e. duty to act in the best interest of one party). For instance, a public servant’s personal relationship could lead to allegations of “misbehaviour in public office” if it influences official decisions.

What if you disclose?

Usually, HR will seek to mitigate the conflict, such as reassigning one partner to a different manager or department to ensure transparency.

How to manage conflicts of interests

In addition, to minimise potential conflicts of interest, you may consider the following measures where possible:

Avoid working directly with your partner.
Keep professional correspondence transparent.
Recuse yourself from relevant business decisions involving your partner.

What Happens When Things Go Wrong in a Workplace Romance

Breakups at work

While we are all for “happily ever after”, office breakups can turn toxic. If a breakup turns acrimonious, the fallout can be severe. For example, a former romantic partner with obsessive or vindictive intentions might engage in stalking or spreading rumours about their ex-partner’s private life to other team members.

Such actions could constitute workplace misconduct or even harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA). Under POHA, victims can apply for a Protection Order to legally restrain the offender from continuing acts of harassment, including unwanted contact. Offending parties may also face criminal prosecution, resulting in fines or even imprisonment.

Furthermore, the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act (OSRAA) provides a pathway for relief if an ex-partner shares intimate images or private information online (e.g. on company social channels) without consent to cause distress. Under the OSRAA, the Online Safety Commission (OSC) is empowered to issue directions to social media services to disable access to such egregious content. This ensures that harmful material is swiftly removed from the platform to prevent further distress to the victim. Victims of intimate image abuse can make an online report via the OSC website.

Retaliation and victimisation

Retaliating against a former romantic partner at work may breach employment laws, anti-harassment laws, and company codes of conduct. Examples include:

Unfair appraisals: Giving an ex-partner a poor performance review out of spite.
Exclusion: Deliberately leaving an ex-partner off important emails or projects.
Gossip: Spreading personal information (e.g. medical history, sexuality or political beliefs) to colleagues.

If employees find themselves in such situations, they should report the issue immediately to HR and keep records of such communications.

Sexual harassment and consent

Even if a relationship starts consensually, legal problems may arise. For example, in 2015, a woman won a civil suit and was awarded $53,000 in damages when an ex-Mindef colleague forced himself on her after she no longer consented to sexual activity.

In serious cases involving harassment, victims can apply for a Protection Order via the Protection from Harassment Court, which legally requires the harasser to stop their behaviour and cease all communication.

While rare, some situations may cross the line into severe criminal conduct. You should immediately file a police report if the harassment escalates to threats of violence or physical assault. In such situations, the offender may face severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

What Happens If You are Disciplined or Dismissed?

Is a company legally permitted to discipline or dismiss an employee over a workplace romance? Technically, yes. This is usually on grounds of misconduct, such as failure to disclose the relationship, or an unmanageable conflict of interest. Crucially, such disciplinary action is justified when the conduct constitutes a clear breach of the company’s internal policies or the specific terms of the employment contract, which often mandate transparency to protect professional standards.

Depending on the severity of the breach, a company might impose:

Written warning: An official record placed in your file.
Reassignment: Moving one or both parties to different departments to minimise professional contact.
Exclusion from promotion: Barring promotion for a period of time.
Dismissal: Termination of employment for serious misconduct or breach of trust.

However, do note that a company cannot just dismiss you without undergoing a process. In Long Kim Weng v LTX-Credence Singapore Pte Ltd, an ex-employee was dismissed after forging an offer letter. The court established that before termination of an employee due to misconduct is permitted, employers must conduct a due inquiry. Under this requirement, the employee is to be informed clearly about the allegations and evidence against him. Thereafter, the employee is then given an opportunity to defend himself.

Therefore, to understand what this inquiry entails, employees should consult their company’s internal disciplinary guidelines or employee handbook, which detail the specific procedural steps and support channels available to them during the investigation process.

Practical Tips to Keep in Mind When Dating in the Workplace

If you are currently dating a coworker, you may want to consider these practical measures:

Keep it professional: Maintain professional standards during working hours.
Disclose early: Declare the relationship to HR if required under your company’s policy or employment contract to avoid allegations of misconduct.
Maintain boundaries: Keep work and personal communication separate. For example, use personal messaging apps for private conversations and work platforms strictly for professional communication.
Keep written records: Document all professional communication in case of future disputes.
Seek help: If harassment occurs in the workplace, document the instances and bring them to HR as the first avenue of recourse before seeking legal action.

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While dating a coworker is not illegal in Singapore, you must be mindful of the potential legal and HR-related risks. Undisclosed relationships, conflicts of interest, and messy breakups are only some of the potential issues that can lead to internal investigations and even dismissal. Therefore, you should be actively transparent, adhere to company policies, and maintain strict professional boundaries to best protect yourself.

What should you do next? If you are facing disciplinary action, experiencing harassment from a former romantic partner, or are simply unsure about your rights or the risks of being in a relationship with a fellow employee, you may wish to seek further advice from an employment lawyer who can help by reviewing your employment contract and circumstances.