Employee terminated for not agreeing to work on Saturdays, asks Singaporeans, ‘Is this wrongful termination?’

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee has allegedly been terminated after refusing to work on Saturdays.

On Thursday (April 17), the individual took to the r/askSingapore Reddit forum to seek advice from fellow users. In his post, he explained that he was employed in a full-time office role, working the standard hours of Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recently, however, his employer requested that he begin working on Saturdays as well—from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.—to take on tasks that he said were “completely unrelated” to his current job scope. In return, the company offered him a mere 5% pay increase.

Citing his desire to maintain a healthy work-life balance, the employee said he respectfully declined the offer. To his shock, he was informed almost immediately that if he was unwilling to comply, the company would terminate his employment. According to the post, he received the official termination letter on the very same day.

Feeling blindsided and unsure of his rights, the employee turned to Reddit for help. “Is this considered wrongful termination?” he asked. “I want to know what my next steps should be and whether there’s any legal action I can take against them.”

“You are considered incompatible for that role.”

The post quickly gained traction, with several users weighing in on whether the termination might have violated Singapore’s employment laws.

One user said, “As long as notice period or notice pay in lieu as stated in the contract is given, no, it is not wrongful termination. They can terminate you for not liking your face too.”

Another commented, “It’s amusing that you think you have a case. The truth is, because you are not working their ‘new’ hours, you are considered incompatible for that role and is a valid reason for termination (along with any other nonsense they can throw into it).”

A third stated, “It’s a new contract to work 1 more day for 5% increase in salary. Since you reject they can terminate you and serve you notice or pay your notice. You know when you resign, it also works both ways.”

A fourth remarked, “On the bright side, you are dodging a real red flag.”

Can an employer change the contract and let someone go if they don’t agree?

As per the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), an employer cannot unilaterally alter the terms and conditions of an employment contract without the employee’s consent. Any modifications, whether related to salary, working hours, job scope, or other contractual terms, must be mutually agreed upon by both the employer and employee.

If an employee does not consent to the proposed changes, the appropriate course of action is for both employer and employee to engage in negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable arrangement.

In cases where no agreement can be reached, either party has the right to terminate the employment relationship by serving the required notice period as stated in the existing contract.

Read also: ‘Depression is setting in:’ Employee desperately seeks advice on how to handle a ‘legendarily bad boss’

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