‘Work first, contract later?’ SG worker stunned after employer delays paperwork to assess her performance

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean recently shared on social media that her employer allegedly refused to provide or let her sign a contract before she started working.

In a Reddit post, she said she had already begun working regular shifts at a fast-food restaurant when management told her that her offer letter would only be given out a few days later. The reason, according to her, was that the company wanted to assess her work performance first before finalising any paperwork.

Unsure whether this was normal, the woman asked, “Is this normal practice? I was under the impression that employees usually receive and sign an offer letter before starting work. Has anyone experienced something similar in F&B? Should I be concerned, or is this fairly common? Thanks.”

‘Just go find another job’

The unusual setup quickly drew criticism from other users, many of whom questioned why an employer would have someone start work without first putting anything in writing.

Several commenters pointed out that employment terms are typically agreed upon before an employee begins work and warned that the lack of documentation could leave workers vulnerable if disputes arise later.

One remarked, “Fraud and exploitation.. technically, you are not even signed. This means they can [choose not to] pay you.”

Another shared a personal experience, writing, “Very sus! Happened to me after my A-levels. Worked at a burger restaurant at Katong for 2 weeks (no contract signed), and they just stopped scheduling me. They didn’t even pay me for my time. I was never late, always completed my shift, and had past experiences in other cafes. It was weird, but I was just a kid, so I didn’t pursue the matter.”

A third quipped, “Ya, I want to eat their food for 1 month and assess food quality before I pay.”

A fourth told her, “If a company is already this shady, it just means they can pull more shady stuff (no CPF, no salary, etc.) and even if you lodge a report in future, it would be words vs words. So please just go find another job, especially if this is just part-time. Companies can have bad management, but we workers should protect ourselves too.”

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) states that employers must provide employees with a written record of their key employment terms in a contract of service within 14 days of the start of employment. The contract may be issued in hard-copy or electronic form. 

Although this agreement can also be “verbal, expressed, or implied,” MOM recommends documenting them in writing to minimise disputes.

Read also: Singapore man says supporting his wife, parents and relatives has left him emotionally drained