If your employer crossed a line, the law probably gives you a way
If you’re up late reading this, you’ve probably had a rough week at work, or maybe a rough conversation with HR. Maybe you were fired without a proper reason. Maybe your salary is late again. Maybe someone is waving a non-compete clause at you and you’re trying to figure out if it’s real.
I’m Roy. I handle civil disputes at A.W. Law LLC in Chinatown, and I’ve sat across from many Singapore workers (and a few employers) who thought they had no options.
This page is for you if you’re the employee and something has gone wrong at work. The first 10 minutes are free, and nothing commits you.
What an employment dispute in Singapore actually is
An employment dispute is a disagreement between you and your employer about your contract, your pay, your notice period, or how the job ended. Singapore handles most of these through a specific system, not through the ordinary civil courts.
The main law is the Employment Act, which covers workers earning up to S$4,500 a month in full protection, and gives some protections (like notice and wrongful dismissal rules) to all employees regardless of pay. Professionals, managers, and executives above that salary have their rights shaped more by their individual contracts and by the Tripartite Guidelines on Wrongful Dismissal.
The forum depends on the matter:
- The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), run by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), handles mandatory mediation for salary and wrongful dismissal claims.
- The Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT), which is part of the State Courts, hears claims up to S$20,000 (or S$30,000 via a union referral) after TADM mediation fails.
- The State Courts or High Court hear larger contractual disputes, directors’ and senior executives’ claims, restraint of trade arguments, and complex commercial employment matters.
Common claims we see:
- Unpaid salary, overtime, or CPF contributions. The most common, and usually the fastest to resolve.
- Wrongful dismissal. Fired for no valid reason, without proper notice, or for an unlawful reason.
- Notice pay in lieu. Employer terminated without giving the agreed notice, or is holding back the final salary.
- Constructive dismissal. Conditions at work became so unreasonable that resigning was the only option.
- Restraint of trade clauses. Non-compete, non-solicitation, or confidentiality terms the employer is trying to enforce after you leave.
- Retrenchment benefit disputes. The company let you go but refused the retrenchment benefit your contract or the Tripartite Advisory provides.
For more on how contracts shape these disputes, see our guide to business contracts in Singapore.
When to take action in Singapore
The deadlines are short, so time matters more here than in most civil claims.
- Salary claims at TADM: within 1 year of the salary falling due, or 6 months if you’ve already left the job.
- Wrongful dismissal claims at TADM: within 1 month of your last day of employment.
- Contract claims at the civil courts: within 6 years.
Before I take on a matter, I ask a few questions:
- Is it documented? The employment contract, payslips, emails, WhatsApp chats with HR or your manager, and the termination letter or resignation email. With these, most claims have real traction. Without them, it gets harder.
- Do you want the job back, or the money? Reinstatement is legally possible but rare in practice. Most successful dismissal claims end in money.
- How long was the employment? Under the Employment Act, some protections kick in only after 6 months of service. We’ll flag this at the first meeting.
- Is safety a factor? Workplace harassment, threats, or physical violence can also be handled with a Personal Protection Order alongside the employment claim.
The three patterns we see most:
- Unpaid salary or final pay. Letter of demand first. Many employers settle within days once a lawyer is on the file. If not, straight to TADM.
- Sudden termination. The employer fires you citing poor performance or redundancy, but the paper trail doesn’t match. Wrongful dismissal claim at TADM, then the ECT.
- A fight after you resign. The old employer claims breach of confidentiality, chases a non-compete, or withholds your final salary as leverage. These often go straight to the civil courts.
What to expect, honestly
I’d rather tell you the truth now than have you surprised later.
How long it takes.
A TADM mediation is usually held within 2 to 4 weeks of filing. If it settles there, the matter is done. If it doesn’t, an Employment Claims Tribunal hearing follows within another 4 to 8 weeks. So start to finish for most salary and wrongful dismissal claims: 2 to 4 months. A civil suit at the State Courts or High Court takes 6 to 12 months, sometimes longer for senior-executive or restraint-of-trade cases.
How much it costs.
For TADM and ECT prep (claim forms, figures, a clear script for the hearing), we usually charge a flat fee of S$800 to S$2,000 depending on complexity. For a full civil suit, fees typically run S$4,000 to S$12,000 plus court disbursements, quoted in writing with a cap before we start. The 10-min Employment Dispute Discovery Session is free. By the end of it, you’ll know roughly what your case is worth and what it’ll cost.
What’s the hard part.
Two things.
One, the paper trail. Employment disputes turn almost entirely on what’s in writing. If your manager said something important in person, we’ll ask you to put it in an email to them afterwards so there’s a record. Start keeping copies of everything today.
Two, the human part. Fighting your employer feels different from fighting a stranger. Former colleagues may be asked for statements. We’ll walk you through the decision point before anything is filed.
How we handle employment disputes at A.W. Law
A few things we do differently:
- One lawyer, start to end. No passing you around between associates.
- Flat fees where we can. TADM prep and demand letters are priced flat so you know the cost upfront.
- Letters in simple terms. Every document you sign is explained before you sign it.
- Evenings on WhatsApp. We reply on weekdays until 10pm, because most workers can’t call at lunch.
- Honest calls. If the claim isn’t worth the fees, we’ll say so. Sometimes the best answer is a strongly worded email you write yourself, and we’ll draft it for you for a small flat fee.
We’re at 133 New Bridge Road, #20-03 Chinatown Point. Two minutes’ walk from Chinatown MRT, Exit E.
What happens next
If something has gone wrong at work, the next step is simple. Book a free 10-min Employment Dispute Discovery Session using the form on this page, or WhatsApp us using the button.
Nothing commits you. Most sessions end with a short list: the papers to gather, a realistic figure for what you’re owed, and a clear view of which forum (TADM, ECT, or the civil courts) fits your matter.
