‘Is this a violation of labour laws?’: SG employee on probation says his employer is forcing him to work without pay on Saturday to finish urgent project

SINGAPORE: An employee has alleged that his employer is forcing him to work without pay on a Saturday to finish an urgent project.

In a post on the r/singaporejobs subreddit on Wednesday (Oct 15), the worker shared that he was instructed to report to work over the weekend despite his employment contract stating that his official working hours are from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“It will be unpaid, so I would have to bear the transport cost and time, as well as spend my rest day working for free. I do not make a lot, and even transport fees can feel like a burden,” he wrote. “Is this a violation of labour laws? I have no say in it, and I am not allowed to say no, as it is compulsory.”

He added that since he is still serving his probation period, he is hesitant to turn down the request for fear of upsetting his employer or jeopardising his job.

Looking for advice, he wrote, “What should I do in this situation? This was also a verbal request, so I have no evidence I can take if it is a violation of labour laws. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.”

“Ultimately, if you want this job, you’ll go finish up.”

In the discussion thread, one Reddit user remarked that these kinds of expectations are already deeply ingrained in Singapore’s work culture

“You can choose not to complete your work, and he can choose not to confirm your role,” they said. “Don’t think it’s a violation of labour laws, many people I know of go to the office on Saturday to finish their work.”

Another user agreed, writing, “Are you paid monthly salary or hourly wage? If monthly salary, then suck thumb. No such thing as 9-6, no OT, since it’s based on work done. You have allocated work and you just need to finish your work by deadlines. If you can’t finish then you either OT or work on off days. It’s that simple..everybody is like this. If hourly wage, then yes, that might be against labour law.”

A third commented, “Ultimately, if you want this job, you’ll go finish up. If you don’t want this job, just insist that you’re only required to work Mon-Fri 9 to 6 and don’t cede to his request.”

A fourth advised, “Just say you can’t commit because of personal matters. Your boss can’t force you to work. If he asks you what personal matters, you can ignore him because you have the right to your own privacy.”

As stated on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website, employers must provide employees with at least one rest day each week. Employees are also limited to a maximum of 72 hours of overtime per month.

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