SINGAPORE: A Singaporean worker has been urged to report his boss after he sought advice online about how to respond to his his boss’ alleged instruction for him to fudge technical documents for the sake of securing a sale.
“These are legal/ government documents that may be checked and if found out will come back to me,” the worker wrote on r/askSingapore on Wednesday (Jul 3).
“Of course I am going to tell my boss ‘NO, I will not.’ But as all Asian boomer bosses go, they will be pissed when their slaves disobey them,” he added.
He then turned to the online community and asked if he could report his boss for telling him to do something illegal, or if he could sue him if he gets fired as a result.
In the discussion thread, the netizens cautioned the worker against proceeding with falsifying the documents, stressing that it would constitute an offense. They stressed that both he and his boss would be legally accountable in such a scenario.
Moreover, they encouraged the worker to consider reporting the incident to relevant authorities. They recommended collecting concrete evidence, such as emails or other documentation, to substantiate any claims.
This evidence, they noted, would not only support an investigation but also strengthen any legal actions taken against the employer.
One netizen said, “Yes you can for both situations and you will need hard evidence like an email. Report to MOM for illegal activities/tasks and Tripartite Alliance for wrongful dismissal.”
Another netizen commented, “Report to the organization involved in the contract or AGO (Auditor General’s Office) if it involves govt contracts. If there’s corruption (ie. Favour from someone…report to CPIB). Reports can be anonymous, but will be better if you include your name, your identity will be kept secret and protected.”
Others in the discussion raised concerns that the boss might find other grounds to terminate the worker, making it challenging to appeal to the Ministry of Manpower if unjustly fired.
They then suggested other ways he could address the issue. One suggestion that came up was to first email his boss and convince him that they shouldn’t be tinkering the figures in the document.
If this fails, he can approach the whistleblowing team in his company (if they have one) and show them the email and all the evidence he has gathered.
One netizen said, “Look into the whistleblowing policy in your company. You are supposed to be protected (not sacked) if you whistleblow by this avenue.
You may still be made to feel very unwelcome and shuffled around (depending on whether the boss’s boss also does such shady practices), but you will have more time to find another job.”
Others, meanwhile, recommended that the worker just quit his job entirely as the entire process will be long and difficult.
A commenter pointed out, “You can try to report but it’s a long process and you’ll need all the evidence and documentation, plus there’s the risk of backlash and retaliation from people who you already know won’t hesitate to break the law. Personally think it’s not worth the trouble.”
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