A Singapore firm has come under the spotlight for alleged discriminatory hiring practices.
This, after the company turned away a Chinese-Muslim woman, because it would be “inconvenient” if she cannot eat pork.
Ms Heidi Heng says was looking for a job, and put up an advertisement on Gumtree forum.
She was contacted by a recruiter, who then rejected her because it was looking for “Chinese-speaking” candidates.
The recruiter had seen a picture of her via Whatsapp messenging service, in which she was wearing a tudung.
Heng says when that when she clarified that she was a Chinese-Muslim and could speak Chinese, the recruiter then changed tack, and said it would be “inconvenient” to hire her because she might have to eat pork at some company functions.
An indignant Heng said in a Facebook post,
“It kinda sad that in sg there is such company. What to do with food and work? I mean, work is work food is food. I can eat halal food ur can eat ur non halal food. But company event i can choose not to go isnt? It really upset to see this.. But well, it ok not to work with ur too. Just wanna a simple of admin job end up get a racist comment.. Admin job got event every month meh? Lol.”
The company in question is reportedly Lightart Studios – a one-stop lighting solutions provider.
The Ministry of Manpower has said that under the Tripartite Guidelines, employers who advertise a position requiring a specific attribute which may be viewed as discriminatory should ensure that the attribute is indeed a requirement of the job.
It adds that employers must state the reason for the requirement in the advertisement, and that the ministry views non-compliance with the Tripartite Guidelines seriously.
