Employee frustrated after boss transfers them to a far-off location post-resignation, asks: ‘Is this even legal?’

SINGAPORE: A Singapore-based employee has sparked discussion online after sharing that their employer suddenly reassigned them to a much farther work location after they submitted their resignation letter.

The worker, who quit for personal reasons, said they fully intended to serve their notice “properly”, with no plans to take MC and every intention of ensuring a smooth handover. However, their morale plummeted after their boss suddenly informed them that they would have to work at a different location until their final day.

“This area is quite far from my home. I take public transport, and the commute will be around 1.5 hours each way. My boss knows this,” they wrote on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Friday (Nov 28).

“There’s also nothing in my contract about local relocation, only an overseas transfer clause that requires one month’s notice. I really dread commuting that far every day.”

The employee added that they have never had any issues with their boss at all. There were no conflicts in the office, no misunderstandings, and certainly no performance complaints throughout their time there. Everything had been normal and professional right up until the moment they resigned, which is why the sudden relocation felt even more baffling.

When they tried to clarify the reason for the move, they said their boss did not provide much explanation. They were simply told that the team “needed” them at that particular location.

“[My boss] said the team needs me there. Otherwise, I can pay salary in lieu of notice,” they wrote. “Honestly, it feels petty, and I don’t understand the point of sending someone who already resigned to a new location.”

Seeking advice from the Reddit community, they asked, “Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is this even legal? Any advice on how to handle this without paying in lieu, or how to survive the long commute?”

“If your boss wants to play you, you also play back.”

In the discussion thread, many Singaporean Redditors explained that, from a legal standpoint, employers can make such changes during a notice period unless the employment contract explicitly forbids it.

While this didn’t make the situation any less frustrating, commenters encouraged the employee to focus on what they can control. Some suggested they could simply arrive late if they really cannot make it on time, or take as much medical leave as needed to cope with the situation.

One said, “Malicious compliance. Go to the new location, but work very, very slowly. They want to screw you over; you screw them back.”

Another commented, “Just use your MC or go late to work. They can’t do anything to you during this period either. Just suck it up for those 10 hours every day, and don’t bother if people talk behind your back. It’s not as if you are also going to see them again. If your boss wants to play you, you also play back.”

A third wrote, “Just wake up late, reach the office at 11 a.m., and shake your leg all day. What are they going to do? Fire you?”

In other news, a Singaporean man shared on Reddit that he and his wife have been dining out less because of the “steep” taxes added to restaurant bills.

In a post published on the r/askSingapore forum, he explained that he and his wife now limit themselves to just two date nights a month, as the additional 19.9 per cent in service charge and GST can feel quite heavy.

Read more: 19.9% extra: Man says GST and service charges in Singapore have pushed him and his wife to dine out less