SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man took to social media to express regret after signing what he described as an unfavourable employment contract, which he only received on his first day of work.
Posting on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, the 30-year-old said he had recently left a contract job and started a new position, willingly accepting a lower salary and longer commute in hopes of doing more meaningful work aligned with his skill set.
“Plus, let’s be honest, got job better than no job in this economy, right?” he added.
However, he was extremely disappointed when he saw the contract on his first work day.
According to his post, the HR representative had previously refused to send the contract in advance, telling him that all documentation would be handled on his first day. His request to discuss the terms beforehand was also ignored.
“Man, the benefits are bad, VERY BAD. Minimal annual leave (seven days), no AWS (annual wage supplement), no bonuses, just that,” he said.
Despite his reservations, he ended up signing the contract after feeling pressured by the HR representative, who repeatedly checked in and made comments such as “Wah, think so long still never sign?”
“I basically caved and signed under pressure. In my head I’m thinking, if really rabak just tender lor,” he wrote. “But I honestly feel like a renumeration package like that will be damaging to my career and my investment/savings goal. Plus only seven days leave can travel where?! [I’m] feeling sian, stupid.”
Adding to his regret, he revealed that he had turned down three other offers that came with slightly better pay (ranging from S$100 to S$250 more per month) because he believed the current organisation, which he considered reputable, would provide better long-term opportunities.
“I thought that an organization as trusted as this would provide me with growth opportunities, and they wouldn’t pull this kind of stuff,” he said.
Still, he noted that the work environment seemed positive. He described his new colleagues as friendly and said the job scope was well-suited to his expertise. He also observed that the bosses interacted casually and respectfully with the team. According to him, many of his co-workers were similarly dissatisfied with their contracts but appreciated the nature of the work and the supportive culture.
Uncertain about whether to remain in the role despite the poor benefits, he sought advice from the local community.
“Don’t bet your career on friendly bosses.”
In the discussion thread, many users advised the man to leave his job, pointing out that such poor benefits were a clear sign that the company did not value its employees.
“Leave. Don’t bet your career on friendly bosses. Friendly bosses are not going to pay your bills or bring you closer to your retirement plans,” one user said. “If they are such good people to begin with, they wouldn’t give you such a bad contract.”
“Only giving you the contract AFTER you reported for work? My bro, no legitimate company will do this. If they can screw you over right off the bat, they can continue to screw you over after. Do you still see a future in this company?” another user asked.
Others also warned that accepting this role could hurt his finances and career in the long run.
One wrote, “Do you have emergency savings of three to six months to reject this job and find another job with better pay and perks? Once you accept this job, this will be your last drawn salary, and basically you are walking backwards in terms of career progression. Seven days of annual leave and no bonuses, not even a 13th-month bonus, sounds like a really sh**ty deal. You need to seriously consider this; it WILL affect you financially and mentally if you proceed.”
Signing a job contract
According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), once a job contract is signed, both the employer and employee are expected to follow the agreed terms. If either party cannot continue with the contract, they should inform the other side as early as possible. MOM also encourages both sides to handle the matter calmly and explain the reason if they can.
If an employee doesn’t turn up on the first day of work, the Employment Claims Act does not apply because the person has not officially started work. This means the employer cannot ask for notice pay or compensation under the Act.
Read also: SG man with S$10K/month income asks: ‘Am I selfish for giving my parents only S$1K/month?’
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)