Singapore's Employment Act sets the framework for notice and for challenging a dismissal.
Notice periods
Termination requires one day to four weeks' notice depending on tenure.
Your employment contract may specify longer, so check it.
Wrongful dismissal
Wrongful dismissal occurs when an employee is dismissed without just cause or excuse.
The Employment Act at Section 14 and case law define it, including termination motivated by discrimination.
The Workplace Fairness Act
Singapore's anti-discrimination protections are being strengthened through the Workplace Fairness Act, raising the bar on what employers must observe.
Where to take a dispute
MOM and TAFEP handle mediation, including retrenchment benefit disputes.
TAFEP is the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.
Work pass cancellation for foreign employees
This is time-sensitive and worth knowing precisely:
- The employer must cancel the work pass within 7 days of employment termination
- Failure to do so is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act
- You then receive a Short-Term Visit Pass valid for 30 days to make arrangements
- You cannot work during the STVP period
Changing employers
If you find a new employer, they submit a new work pass application. You can remain in Singapore on the STVP while it is processed.
EP holders do not need to leave Singapore between jobs.
S Pass and Work Permit holders face more restrictions on changing employers and may need to return to their home country first.
What to do first
Read your employment contract. In Singapore it carries unusual weight, since retrenchment benefits are contractual rather than statutory.
Where to get help
MOM for statutory matters, TAFEP for mediation, and an employment lawyer where the amounts justify it.