‘People are exhausted’: Tech employee claims 15+ hour workdays and weekend shifts have become the norm at his company

SINGAPORE: A tech employee has claimed that staff at his company are routinely expected to work more than 15 hours a day, as well as around 10 hours on both Saturdays and Sundays, prompting him to ask if such gruelling hours are normal in Singapore’s tech industry.

In a post on Reddit, the employee said these marathon workdays have become a regular part of life at the company rather than something reserved for particularly busy periods.

“This has become the norm rather than an exception. People are exhausted, but many are afraid to speak up because they’re worried about losing their jobs or affecting their careers.”

Hoping to understand whether his employer’s expectations were lawful, he turned to the online community for advice.

 “I am looking for some advice from people who are familiar with Singapore’s employment laws. Is this considered normal in Singapore, especially for IT jobs?”

“At what point does this become a violation of employment regulations? Can this be reported to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)? Has anyone here reported similar situations, and what was the outcome?”

The employee acknowledged that professionals and managers are not always protected by the Employment Act’s working hour limits. Even so, he wondered if MOM would still look into cases involving excessive working hours, intense workplace pressure or possible workplace safety and health concerns.

“I’m interested in hearing from anyone who has gone through something similar or has knowledge of how these cases are handled in practice. Thanks in advance.”

“Tell them you can’t be working like this”

The post attracted plenty of reactions, though many Redditors weren’t particularly optimistic.

One Redditor noted that if he earns S$4,500 a month, he “might not get anything” in terms of overtime compensation.

Another wrote, “MOM likely won’t do anything as you are supposed to be professional enough to deal with it on your own. You are an adult and should learn how to deal with this situation. Just talk to your boss, get an indication of how long this will last, tell them you can’t be working like this.”

A third added, “I don’t think it will change anything even if you report it to MOM. Easier if you just find another job.”

Others felt it was still worth trying, but warned that filing a complaint would likely be an uphill battle.

One said, “You can report. But expect it to be a slow and laborious process, with a lot of burden of proof on you to even kickstart the process. You need time-stamped things, proof of insane working hours, emails, etc. You have to prove everything beyond any doubt.”

Working hour limits

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employees covered by the Employment Act should generally not work more than 12 hours a day or exceed 72 hours of overtime in a month. 

Employers who need staff to work beyond these limits must first apply to MOM for an exemption. If approved, employees may work up to 14 hours a day or exceed the monthly overtime cap.

Employees are also entitled to one rest day each week. 

If an employer requires them to work on that rest day, they must be paid one day’s salary if they work up to half of their normal daily working hours, two days’ salary if they work more than half but not beyond their normal daily working hours, and two days’ salary plus overtime pay if they work beyond their normal daily working hours.

If the employee voluntarily requests to work on their rest day instead, the compensation is lower. 

They are entitled to half a day’s salary if they work up to half of their normal daily working hours, one day’s salary if they work more than half but not beyond their normal daily working hours, and one day’s salary plus overtime pay for any hours worked beyond their normal daily working hours.

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