[Updated 27 December 2021]

To keep the workforce safe, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) has decided that only employees who are fully vaccinated¹, certified to be medically ineligible or have recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days, can return to the workplace from 1 January 2022.

With the implementation of the workforce vaccination measures, 50% of those who can work from home will be allowed to return to the office.

Currently, participants in work-related events are capped at 50 persons. The limit will be raised for events where all participants remain masked and seated, at a safe distance from each other. They must also meet the vaccination-differentiated safe management measure requirements.

Social gatherings at the workplace will remain disallowed.

[Updated] Arrangements for unvaccinated individuals

Between 1-14 January 2022, unvaccinated employees will be allowed at the workplace if they have a negative Pre-Event Testing (PET) result, and the test¹ must be valid for the duration the individuals are required at the workplace.

However, PET concession for unvaccinated individuals to return to workplace will be removed from 15 January 2022. This helps to protect the unvaccinated individuals and create a safer workplace for everyone.

Partially vaccinated workers (i.e. those who have taken at least one dose of vaccine but are not yet fully vaccinated) will be granted a grace period until 31 January 2022 to complete their vaccination regime. During the grace period, they will continue to be able to enter the workplace with a negative PET result.

As the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine has now been included under the National Vaccination Programme, those who are ineligible for mRNA vaccines are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

A tripartite advisory on COVID-19 vaccination at the workplace and on managing unvaccinated staff who can’t physically return to the workplace can be found here.

Employers can check their company’s vaccination rate here (CorpPass login required), from 9am on Monday, 25 October 2021.

[New] Voluntary Distribution of ART Kits to Workplaces to Implement Regular Self-Testing

To support lower-risk workplaces in implementing regular testing, a second round of voluntary distribution of ART kits for workplaces will be conducted. Firms with employees that work onsite and are not already subject to mandatory RRT may apply for 8 ART kits per onsite vaccinated employee for weekly testing over a two-month period. Funding support is available for firms who require it. ².

Applications will open from 3 to 31 January 2022. More details will be made available at go.gov.sg/time-limited-rrt-art closer to date.

For higher risk workplaces that are already on mandatory Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) regime, there will be extended funding support for vaccinated individuals on RRT until 31 March 2022.

¹Negative ART results are valid for 24 hours.

²The unvaccinated would have to pay for their own PET from 1 January 2022 before returning to the workplace and from 15 January 2022 they will not be allowed to return to office at all. Similarly, partially vaccinated individuals would also have to pay for their own PET tests until such time they are fully vaccinated.