HR couldn’t afford to be sluggish anymore. Disbursing timely salaries isn’t all, the Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MoM) has outlined specific terms for formatting an employee salary slip which must contain the essential factors like Key Employment Terms (KET). The salary slip from the employer must be issued at least 14 days after the salary disbursement. This guide contains all the items to be mentioned within the itemized salary slip or payslip as per MoM.
Employers have been provided with the option to decide the format in which they require to issue the payslips (hard copy or soft copy) as long as the breakdown terms and KETs are clearly mentioned, and format is followed. Employers in Singapore must also make sure to consolidate the payslips if payments are being made more than once in a month.
These changes have been attached with certain penalties and the penalty framework has also been revised to treat less severe breaches under the EA as civil breaches which earlier were treated as criminal breaches.
The breaches are considered under conditions of;
– the failure to timely provide itemised payslips
– the failure to mention written KETs
– the failure to maintain detailed employment records
– provision of inaccurate information without fraudulent intent
Key Components of Payslip Every Business Must Inculcate
A comprehensive payslip must contain all the salary payments like multiple financial and compliance-related elements. Below I have defined the key components;
- Basic Salary: The fixed amount mentioned in the employment contract.
- Overtime Wages: It applies to employees who are covered under the Employment Act, with strict regulations for calculation.
- Mandatory Deductions: Signifying CPF (Central Provident Fund), Self-Help Group (SHG) contributions, along with the Skills Development Levy (SDL), all of these must be deducted and mentioned correctly.
- Tax Obligations: Proper tax reporting is mandatory which includes IR21 tax clearance for the foreign employees leaving Singapore, to avoid any non-compliance penalties.
Items Of Itemized Payslip As Per MoM
Itemized payslips have been made mandatory by the MoM which must contain the items as mentioned, unless an item is not applicable. For instance, if overtime pay isn’t applicable in case of an employee, you need not include items 9 to 11. In case the payments are being made more than once a month, employers can consolidate pay slips. Make sure that the consolidated pay slip includes details of all payments disbursed since the last pay slip.
Also Read: Step-by-Step Guide to Completing IR8A Submission 2025
| Number | Item description |
| 1 | Full name of employer. |
| 2 | Full name of employee. |
| 3 | Date of payment (or dates, if the pay slips consolidate multiple payments). |
| 4 | Basic salary For hourly, daily or piece-rated workers, indicate all the following: – Basic rate of pay, e.g. $X per hour. – Total number of hours or days worked or pieces produced. |
| 5 | Start and end date of salary period. |
| 6 | Allowances paid for salary period, such as: – All fixed allowances, e.g. transport. – All ad-hoc allowances, e.g. one-off uniform allowance. |
| 7 | Any other additional payment for each salary period, such as: – Bonuses – Rest Day pay – Public holiday pay |
| 8 | Deductions made for each salary period, such as: – All fixed deductions (e.g. employee’s CPF contribution). – All ad-hoc deductions (e.g. deductions for no-pay leave, absence from work). |
| 9 | Overtime hours worked. |
| 10 | Overtime pays. |
| 11 | Start and end date of overtime payment period (if different from item 5 start and end date of salary period). |
| 12 | Net salary paid in total. |
Source: MoM
PaySlip Compliance and Legal Requirements in Singapore 2025
To be in compliance with payroll regulations is crucial, which would help any employer avoid fines and operational disruptions. Below I have mentioned what small business owners must ensure for total compliance;
CPF Contributions
- Employers ensure timely CPF contributions for their employees who earn more than SGD 50 per month. Contribution rates slightly vary and depend upon the age and salary level, with regular updates from the CPF Board. Staying updated and incorporating these changes is crucial for compliance.
Skills Development Levy (SDL)
- All employers ensure SDL payments, which is calculated at 0.25% of an employee’s gross monthly salary. The lowest payment is SGD 2, and the highest is SGD 11.25 per employee per month. Exact calculation without assumptions along with timely payments helps in avoiding penalties.
Tax Filing and Employer Obligations
- AIS Submission: Employers who participate in the Auto-Inclusion Scheme (AIS) are required to submit employees’ income details digitally to IRAS by 1 March 2025.
- Form IR21: In case an employee is permanently leaving Singapore, their employer must ensure to file Form IR21 at least one month prior to the departure of the employee.
Also Read: Singapore Employment Law | What Employers Need to Know
Conclusion
Singapore ministry of manpower or MoM has been amending payroll management laws which intend to raise employment standards with high transparency. This all aims to facilitate employees with what’s happening with their employment, and earlier notification of disputes and their resolutions at the workplace. It’s not only limited to this only and also empowers employers with the flexibility to adopt and adjust to those changes in a practical manner, ensuring optimized results.
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