SINGAPORE: Employees should be given a day off or salary in lieu, since Polling Day falls on a Saturday, the Ministry of Manpower said on Tuesday (Apr 15).

Polling Day, which falls on May 3, has been declared a public holiday. 

"The ministry would like to inform companies that Polling Day, as a public holiday, should be treated in the same manner as any other public holiday," MOM added.

Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 for the country's 14th General Election. Nomination Day is on Apr 23.

MOM said all employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid public holidays.

"If Polling Day is a non-working day for the employee, he is entitled to either a day off or salary in lieu. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, he is entitled to an extra day’s salary for the day’s work, or be given a day off."

The ministry also said employers have the additional option of granting time-off-in-lieu, based on a mutually agreed number of hours, for working on a public holiday for certain groups of employees. 

These include workmen earning more than S$4,500 a month or non-workmen earning more than S$2,600 a month. It also includes all managers and executives.