DiscoverglePart-Time, Remote, Hybrid and Freelance Work: Key Definitions
Job ads mix up three separate ideas: how many hours you work, where you work, and your legal status. Untangling them is the first step.
Key takeaways
- Hours, place and status are three different things in a job ad.
- Part-time in Singapore means fewer than 35 contracted hours a week.
- Freelancers manage their own CPF and tax.
- Ask about hours, pay basis, CPF, contract type and notice period.
Hours: part-time vs full-time
Under Singapore's Part-Time Employment Regulations, a part-time employee is contracted to work fewer than 35 hours a week. Part-timers are still employees with a contract, and many protections apply on a pro-rated basis. Check MOM for the current rules.
Place: remote, hybrid, on-site
- Remote / WFH: you work away from the employer's premises, often from home.
- Hybrid: a mix. Ask how many office days are required and whether they are fixed.
- On-site: you work at a workplace or client location.
Status: employee, contractor, platform worker
Employees have a contract of service. Freelancers and contractors have a contract for services and arrange their own CPF and taxes. Platform workers, such as ride-hail and delivery workers, have their own framework under the Platform Workers Act.
Questions to ask any employer: Is this an employment contract? What are my weekly hours? How is pay calculated? Is CPF payable? What is the notice period?
Unsure about a term? Search our glossary.
Common questions
Is part-time the same as freelance?
No. Part-time employees have a contract of service and are employees. Freelancers are self-employed.
Can a job be both remote and part-time?
Yes. Hours and location are separate. A role can be part-time and remote, or full-time and on-site.