FAQs on Singapore’s New Laws for Platform Workers

Last updated on January 5, 2026

The introduction of the Platform Workers Act (the Act) on 1 January 2025 marks a significant step in recognising the unique position of platform workers in the Singapore labour market.

The Act aims to better protect platform workers’ rights by plugging existing gaps, while ensuring they maintain their independent status as platform workers in a gig economy. This article will explain how the Act sets out to achieve this. It will cover:

Who is Covered Under the Platform Workers Act?

The Act covers platform workers and platform operators, and applies to all platform services, which include on-demand delivery (e.g. Deliveroo, GrabFood) as well as ride-hailing services (e.g. Grab, TADA, Gojek).

Who is a Platform Worker?

A “platform worker” is defined as an individual who:

Contracts with platform operators to provide services; and
Is subject to the management and control of the platform operator in return for payment or benefit in kind.

Currently, these services are limited to either ride-hailing or delivery services. Hence, platform workers would include ride-hail drivers and delivery riders. Platform workers operate with some level of autonomy, but are subject to the platform operator’s rules and management control. For example, they can choose their hours and location to work in, but will not be able to set the fare price or service fees for the rides.

Who is a Platform Operator?

A platform operator is defined as an organisation that:

Has an agreement with users to provide ride-hail or delivery services to the users
Facilitates these services through digital platforms, connecting platform workers with consumers; and
Exercises some level of management control over these platform workers.

Typically, the platform operator will set the requirements on service levels, pricing and payment terms, as well as manage the work assignments for its platform workers. For example, Grab requires all its ride-hair and delivery drivers to adhere to a Code of Conduct when performing their jobs. As for payment terms, Grab only allows its drivers to cash out their earnings for a maximum of 2 times for every 24 hours upon reaching a minimum amount of S$50, up to a maximum of S$5,000 in earnings.

A platform operator can be an individual or an entity such as a sole proprietorship, a corporate body, an unincorporated association, or a partnership. Some examples of platform operators in Singapore are companies like Grab, Gojek, Foodpanda and Deliveroo.

Differences Between Platform Workers vs. Self-Employed Persons vs. Employees

Platform workers vs. employees

If you are employed under a contract of service with a platform operator, you are not a platform worker, but rather, an employee covered under the Employment Act. Workers employed under a contract of service typically enter into a written agreement with their employer to formalise the employee-employer relationship. Examples of such workers include managers, executives, manual labourers and professionals such as lawyers, accountants and doctors.

On the other hand, platform workers typically enter into a contract for service (i.e. a platform work agreement) which establishes a client-contractor relationship between the platform worker and the platform operator respectively. MOM defines a platform work agreement as any agreement – which includes written or oral agreements and expressed or implied agreements – between a platform operator and a platform worker for the provision of platform services but does not include a contract of service. This distinction is important because only platform workers who are not under a contract of service are eligible for the protections offered under the Act.

You may wish to check out our other article on the differences between a contract of service and contract for service.

Platform workers vs. self-employed persons

Self-employed persons also work under a contract for service as independent operators. They have the autonomy to set their own working hours and schedules, determine their own salary, work for multiple clients and are not under the control of any one platform.

Before the Act was introduced, platform workers were classified as ‘self-employed’. However, platform workers differ from self-employed persons due to the degree of management control. Platform operators would employ platform workers as independent contractors and often refer to them as “partners”, but these workers often do not have full control and management of their working circumstances. Unlike self-employed persons, they cannot decide how much to charge for their services, what tasks to take on and how to grow their client base – these are all determined by the platform operators.

The Act recognises the hybrid status of platform workers as a third category of workers, distinct from employees and self-employed workers. It also aims to address the reality of platform operators often exercising disproportionate power over these workers as the operators are often the ones determining these workers’ job allocation and payment terms.

The following sections will discuss how the Act intends to level the playing field between platform workers and platform operators and how the new rights and protections are designed to improve the financial, health, and representation rights of platform workers.

What Protections are Available to Platform Workers Under the Platform Workers Act?

The Act aims to enhance the financial security, workplace safety and rights of representation for platform workers by strengthening protections for these workers in three main areas:

Increased Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions: Mandatory CPF contributions by both platform operators and platform workers, to ensure housing and retirement adequacy for platform workers.
Work Injury Compensation: The provision of medical coverage and compensation for platform workers who get injured on the job.
Platform Work Associations: A legal framework will be set up to allow platform workers to organise and represent the interests of fellow platform workers.

1. Increased CPF contribution rates

One of the most impactful provisions under the Act is that platform operators are now required to make CPF contributions for platform workers born on or after 1 January 1995. Older workers born before this date can either choose to opt in for increased CPF contributions, or stick with a lower level of their own mandatory contribution. This ensures that platform workers can have adequate savings for their retirement and healthcare needs, similar to employees under the Employment Act.

Previously, platform workers were only required to contribute up to 10.5% of their net trade income to their CPF Medisave account, while platform operators did not have any obligations to make any CPF contributions.

The key features under the new CPF requirements are discussed below.

Increased CPF contributions

For workers born on or after 1 January 1995, CPF contributions are mandatory and will gradually increase over a period of 5 years to allow platform workers and operators time to align with those of traditional employees. For traditional employees, the current CPF contribution rates are 20% for employees aged 55 and below, and 17% for their employers. The table below summarises the contribution rates of platform workers born on or after 1 January 1995 across the different age groups:

	2026 CPF Contribution Rates for Platform Workers
Age	Platform operator’s share up to (%)	Platform worker’s share up to (%)
35 & below	7.0%	13.0%
Above 35 to 45	7.0%	14.0%
Above 45 to 50	7.0%	15.0%
Above 50 to 55	7.0%	15.5%
Above 55 to 60	7.0%	15.5%
Above 60 to 65	7.0%	12.5%
Above 65 to 70	7.0%	9.5%
Above 70	7.0%	5.5%

For workers born before 1 January 1995, they will have the flexibility to decide whether to opt in to the increased CPF contributions or stick with a lower level of their own mandatory contribution if they wish to increase their amount of take-home pay. If they opt in, they will enjoy the same benefits and are eligible for the same support as platform workers born on 1 January 1995 or later. The table below summarises the contribution rates of platform workers born before 1 January 1995 who do not opt in, across the different age groups.

Source: CPF website

For platform workers who are mandated or opt in to increased CPF contributions, these CPF contributions will go toward their Ordinary, Special and MediSave Accounts. Platform workers who do not opt in to increased CPF contributions will continue to contribute to the MediSave Account only; they will not receive CPF contributions from the platform operator.

Platform workers can opt-in via the CPF website. Do note that this decision to opt in is irreversible. This is because allowing opt-outs will be counterproductive to the Act’s intention of allowing workers to accumulate interest in their CPF accounts for housing and retirement adequacy in the long run. Allowing workers to opt in and out multiple times is also impractical for platform operators as they will incur additional costs by constantly having to monitor the status and CPF contribution rates of their workers. While there is no deadline to opt in, older workers are encouraged to do so as early as possible so that they can start benefiting from the Platform Workers CPF Transition Support Scheme (discussed in the next section below) earlier.

Platform operators must make prompt and accurate CPF contributions for their Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident platform workers every month. They are responsible for deducting the platform workers’ share of CPF contributions from their platform workers’ earnings as and when they are earned, and to submit them to the CPF Board, along with the platform operator’s share of CPF contributions.

Platform Workers CPF Transition Support Scheme

Low-income platform workers will receive additional support under the enhanced Platform Workers CPF Transition Support scheme (PCTS). This will help alleviate their concerns that increased CPF deductions would reduce their take-home pay.

Under this enhanced scheme, lower-income platform workers earning $3,000 or less in net monthly income from platform work (previously capped at $2,500 monthly) and who are affected by the increased CPF deductions will receive direct cash payouts in the first year (i.e. 2025) to fully offset the increased CPF contributions. Thereafter, the payout will reduce by 25 per cent per year until 2028, as illustrated below:

Source: CPF Website

Workfare Income Supplement Scheme

Lower-income platform workers will still be eligible for the PCTS even if they already receive support from other schemes, such as the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme (WIS). Effectively, this means that the increased CPF contributions under the Act will allow them to boost their retirement savings without removing their eligibility for current assistance.

From 2025, eligible platform workers will receive their WIS payments on a monthly basis, instead of annually. They will continue to receive the same amount of WIS payments as a self-employed person from 2025 to 2028. The table below shows the maximum WIS amount that the platform worker can receive each year, based on their age group.

Source: CPF Website

With effect from 2029, eligible platform workers who are mandated or opt in to the increased CPF contribution rates will receive higher WIS payments once their CPF contribution rates fully align with that of traditional employees. They will also receive a higher proportion of WIS payments in cash at 40%, compared to the current 10%.

As for those who do not opt in to the increased CPF contribution rates, they will continue to receive their WIS payments at the same level as that of a self-employed person.

Platform workers and operators may wish to refer to the CPF website for further details on the computation and collection of CPF contributions, the caps for eligibility, as well as government’s support for lower-income platform workers.

Safeguards against discrimination

While the scope of the legislation is to primarily offer greater protection to platform workers, this naturally translates into further responsibilities and significantly increased costs for affected platform operators.

For platform workers who are mandated or opt in to the increased CPF contribution rates, this will result in a higher costs for the platform operators who will have to make contributions to their platform workers’ CPF accounts. This may in turn open up the risk of discrimination by platform operators against such platform workers. There is also the risk that some operators will pass on the higher costs to the platform workers. In response to this, Parliament has stated that it would be disingenuous for platform operators to seek to recover these higher costs from platform workers, and urged platform operators to refrain from doing so. Parliament further highlighted that the added costs incurred by platform operators on the mandatory CPF contributions can be audited to counter any claims of profiteering and to prevent a passing of costs to platform workers by the platform operators.

For added protection, tripartite partners – namely the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) – will be including additional guidelines in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices in due course. The additional guidelines will provide greater clarity that intermediaries such as platform operators should not discriminate based on characteristics that are not related to the job, including when allocating work to platform workers.

Finally, Platform Work Associations (discussed below) can work together with platform operators to safeguard against discriminatory practices.

2. Work Injury Compensation

The second area of protection for platform workers under the Act is the provision of financial security for platform workers in case of work-related accidents or injury. Previously, there was no mandatory legal requirement for platform operators to provide coverage for platform workers injured on the job, so any benefit of insurance coverage offered to platform workers was largely dependent on the goodwill of the platform operators.

The reality is that platform workers (i.e. delivery riders and private-hire vehicle drivers) face significant risks in the course of their work. Due to the nature of work, they often spend significant amounts of time on the road and are exposed to a greater risk of traffic accidents – a survey found that around a third of delivery riders in Singapore had experienced an injury requiring medical treatment.

The Act mandates that platform operators provide insurance to its platform workers at the same scope and level of benefits that traditional employees enjoy under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA). This strengthens the responsibilities of platform workers and platform operators to prevent injuries at work.

The types of compensation offered should cover the following as a minimum standard:

Medical leave wages or income replacement
Medical expenses
Lump sum compensation in the event of permanent incapacity or injury, current incapacity or injury, or death

It should be noted that compensation for light duties will not apply to platform workers.

Eligibility for claims

Workers can claim compensation under WICA for any injury sustained in the course of their work, i.e. if they were injured in a road accident while performing delivery tasks and ride-hail platform operators. They are covered from pick-up to drop-off, which is defined as:

Pick-up: When the platform worker begins to travel to the pick-up or collection location until the platform worker leaves the pick-up or collection location, including returning to the vehicle, where applicable for delivery platform services.
Drop-off: When the platform worker begins to travel to the drop-off or delivery location until the platform worker leaves the drop-off or delivery location, including returning to the vehicle, where applicable for delivery platform services.

A platform worker can also make a claim under WICA if the platform worker contracts an occupational disease in the course of work. However, injuries sustained outside the scope described and from personal activities outside work are not covered. For example, a ride-hail driver will not be covered under WICA if he gets into an accident on the way to collect a personal parcel after dropping off a passenger.

If a worker is injured while working for multiple operators, they are entitled to compensation in proportion to the income earned from each operator.

Compensation coverage

Platform Workers will have the same level of Work Injury Compensation (WIC) coverage as employees, comprising:

- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Income loss compensation for medical leave and hospitalisation leave
- Lump-sum compensation for permanent incapacity or death

To streamline processes for WIC claims, a Fixed Expense Deduction Amount will be applied to all Platform Workers’ gross earnings to derive Platform Workers’ net earnings (i.e. gross earnings minus the Fixed Expense Deduction Amount). The net earnings will be used to compute WIC quantum. The Fixed Expense Deduction Amount depends on platform workers’ mode of transport and reflects expenses for the majority of platform workers.

Claims process

Platform workers can file claims with their platform operator’s insurance provider by submitting an injury report (iReport) through the MOM portal within 10 days of notification of accident to the platform operator. For fatal accidents, notification must be given to MOM as soon as possible.

For non-fatal accidents, platform workers can claim compensation within one year of the date of the accident, or up to the limitation period of the occupational disease (if applicable) even if they no longer work for the platform operator.

More detailed information on claim eligibility and procedures, how compensation is computed and the compensation limits, is available on the MOM website.

3. Platform Work Associations

A final area of protection which the Act seeks to strengthen is the collective bargaining power of platform workers. Previously, there was no legal framework for the representation of platform workers as they were not considered employees. The Act now provides for a legal representation framework to be set up, which will allow platform workers to form and be collectively represented as a Platform Work Association (PWA). A PWA must apply to the Registry of PWAs to be registered, and Registrars will be appointed by MOM to regulate and oversee the activities conducted by PWAs.

Registered PWAs can represent platform workers and negotiate on their behalf if they obtain the mandate to do so, either through recognition by a platform operator or a ballot among its members. They can then represent the platform workers in work-related disputes and negotiate with platform operators to further the interests of platform workers. This strengthens the collective bargaining power and voice of platform workers, allowing them to collectively advocate for fair treatment of platform workers, such as negotiating better working conditions, fair payment terms and improved benefits.

What Happens If Platform Operators Do Not Adhere to Their Obligations Under the Platform Workers Act?

The Act confers a heavier administrative burden on platform operators, as they now need to implement various measures to comply with the Act’s requirements. Failure to comply with these obligations may mean administrative penalties for platform operators.

For example, a platform operator’s failure to submit the requisite CPF contributions by the 14th of the following month (or the next working day if the 14th falls on a weekend or public holiday) will result in enforcement action by MOM and the relevant authorities. This may include the imposition of a late payment interest charged at 1.5% per month commencing from the first day after the due date.

If platform operators fail to meet their obligations, platform workers also have avenues for legal recourse, either through MOM or by seeking representation from PWAs or employment lawyers.

How does the Platform Workers Act Interplay with Existing Employment Guidelines or Legislation?

The Act works alongside other existing guidelines, such as the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) as discussed above. These guidelines ensure that all workers in Singapore, including platform workers, are treated fairly and without discrimination.

The Act is intended to strengthen the protections for platform workers without altering or diminishing their rights under existing legislation and guidelines, providing an additional layer of security in the gig economy. As the gig economy evolves, MOM and PWAs may negotiate or enhance further protections and regulations for platform workers.

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With the Platform Workers Act, Singapore is leading the way in bridging the gap between traditional employment protections and the evolving needs of the gig economy. The Act is a welcome legislation that seeks to ensure that platform workers will now have better access to fair treatment, financial security, and safer working conditions moving forward.

If you are a platform worker or operator looking for more detailed advice, consulting an employment lawyer could be beneficial in assessing your rights and obligations under the Act. An employment lawyer can help you clarify specific rights or eligibility under the provisions of the Act, guide you through filing a claim or onboarding new platform workers, or assist in cases of non-compliance by platform operators.