Statute Details
- Title: Employment (Notes of Evidence — Fees) Regulations
- Act Code: EmA1968-RG2
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Employment Act (Cap. 91), section 139(2)(g)
- Key Provisions (from extract): Regulation 1 (Citation); Regulation 2 (Fee)
- Commencement Date: Not stated in the provided extract (historical note indicates 1st November 1992 for the original regulation)
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Revised Editions shown: 1993 RevEd; 2000 RevEd (30th April 2000)
- Government Gazette Citation (from extract): G.N. No. S 436/92
What Is This Legislation About?
The Employment (Notes of Evidence — Fees) Regulations are a narrow piece of Singapore employment law that deals with administrative fees charged by the Ministry of Manpower’s Commissioner for Labour. In particular, the Regulations specify the amount payable for obtaining a certified copy of “notes of evidence”—a term typically associated with the record of evidence taken in proceedings under the Employment Act framework.
In plain language, the Regulations answer a practical question that arises in employment-related disputes and enforcement processes: how much does it cost to request and receive a certified copy of the notes of evidence from the Commissioner for Labour. Rather than addressing substantive employment rights (such as wages, notice, or termination), the Regulations focus on the cost of access to documentary records.
Because the Regulations are made under the Employment Act’s regulation-making power, they operate as a fee schedule. They ensure that the fee is set by law (not merely by internal policy), thereby supporting transparency and consistency for parties who need certified evidence records for review, litigation, or compliance purposes.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Regulation 1 (Citation) provides the short title of the Regulations. This is standard drafting: it allows practitioners and agencies to refer to the instrument easily in correspondence, submissions, and legal documents.
Regulation 2 (Fee) is the substantive provision in the extract. It states that the fee payable to the Commissioner for Labour under section 119(1)(j) of the Employment Act for supplying a certified copy of notes of evidence is $5 per page.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the key legal effect of Regulation 2 is that it fixes the maximum or exact statutory charge for this specific service. The wording “shall be $5 per page” indicates that the Commissioner for Labour is required to apply that rate when supplying certified notes of evidence. This matters where parties may otherwise face uncertainty about costs, or where disputes might arise about whether a different fee (for example, a flat fee, an hourly charge, or an administrative surcharge) could be imposed.
It is also important to note the linkage to section 119(1)(j) of the Employment Act. The Regulations do not create the right to certified notes of evidence by themselves; rather, they implement the fee for a service that is already contemplated in the Employment Act. In legal practice, this means that counsel should read Regulation 2 together with the relevant Employment Act provision to understand the procedural entitlement and the circumstances in which a request can be made.
Finally, the extract shows that the fee is supported by a Government Gazette notification (G.N. No. S 436/92). This is relevant for historical interpretation and for confirming that the fee schedule has a formal legislative basis.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are extremely concise. Based on the extract, the instrument contains:
(1) Regulation 1: Citation (short title).
(2) Regulation 2: Fee payable for certified copies of notes of evidence.
There are no additional parts or complex schedules shown in the provided text. This structure reflects the Regulations’ purpose: to provide a single, specific fee rule rather than a comprehensive procedural code.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to requests made to the Commissioner for Labour for certified copies of notes of evidence under the Employment Act framework. The fee obligation is therefore borne by the person or party who requests the certified notes and receives them.
In practical terms, the “who” will often include parties involved in employment-related proceedings or investigations where notes of evidence are relevant—such as employers, employees, or their representatives—particularly when they need certified documentary records for further action (for example, internal review, preparation for related proceedings, or evidential use in legal processes).
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Regulations are short, they are important because they address a recurring procedural need: obtaining certified evidence records. In employment disputes, access to documentary evidence can be critical. Certified notes of evidence may be required to verify what was said, what was recorded, and how the evidence was presented. By setting a clear fee, the Regulations reduce friction and uncertainty in obtaining these records.
From an enforcement and governance standpoint, the Regulations also support legal certainty and administrative fairness. A statutory fee schedule helps ensure that the Commissioner for Labour applies a consistent charge. This can be particularly relevant where parties are cost-sensitive or where the number of pages is significant—because the fee is calculated per page, the total cost will scale with the length of the notes.
For practitioners, the key practical takeaway is to treat Regulation 2 as a budgeting and compliance reference. When advising clients on the likely costs of obtaining certified notes of evidence, counsel can rely on the statutory rate of $5 per page. Additionally, if a client is charged differently, the Regulations provide a direct legal benchmark to challenge the fee.
Finally, the Regulations illustrate a broader point about Singapore employment law practice: even where substantive rights are contained in the Employment Act, subsidiary legislation often governs implementation details—including administrative fees. Understanding these instruments helps lawyers anticipate procedural steps and manage client expectations.
Related Legislation
- Employment Act (Cap. 91) — in particular section 119(1)(j) (service relating to certified copies of notes of evidence) and section 139(2)(g) (regulation-making power)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Employment (Notes of Evidence — Fees) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.