You heard the news, Singapore already in a technical recession. Our unemployment rate is at a 10-year high and may rise to 3.6% by end of this year. And you know when America sneezes the world will catch a cold hor? The US jobless rate? Already more than 11%.
People around us are already getting pay cuts and retrenched left, right, centre. And not so good news, HR experts say more to come. But eh, this one don’t need experts say, use b*ckside think also know. Until we find a vaccine AND it becomes widely available, just got to tahan…
Touch wood lah, but if retrenched, how ah?
With the d*mn virus affecting so many sectors, you can consider yourself very heng not to kena or at least suffer a pay cut or being laid off. Kena retrenchment sure damn hard to swallow. But if suay suay really kena, what to do? Where to find jobs? Confirm got retrenchment benefits not? Who can help?
For those who have been contributing hard to the company for very long, sure will feel betrayed. But hor, public service announcement, you can scream or cry, it’s unlikely going to help. Chances are, your company also cannot dong then got to retrench. On your side, handover still must do properly, still got to be professional. Who knows, when the economy boomz again, you may just be first on their list to rehire leh? Leaving on a bad note has ZERO benefits. Cannot smile also better pretend…
If the company 有良心, you likely will get some retrenchment benefits if you have in service for at least 2 years. Benefits can be 2 weeks to a month’s salary for each year of service. In unionised companies where the amount of retrenchment benefit is stated in the collective agreement, the norm is 1 month’s salary for each year of service. Check with HR on the retrenchment terms!
Oh, and don’t forget to request for a testimonial or referral letter from your boss – it will be very useful for your next job search! Unless your boss already hates you, then sorry, skip this step and please reflect.
Nothing to be paiseh about
Kena retrenched is really nothing to be ashamed of – especially during this pandemic. It’s not you, it’s them. It’s likely Covid. Just got to move on. Update your CV – actually do it now. Check in with your contacts. Who knows, someone may know of someone else who’s hiring!
The last thing you want to do is to sit around and just kpkbkpkb. Be proactive, find opportunities to upgrade yourself. There are sooo many good and free courses out there. And hor, your SkillsFuture Credits use already or not? Trust me, when companies start hiring, you need everything you can to prove yourself better than Tom, Dick or Mary.
Don’t say never share:
https://www.wsg.gov.sg/SGUnited.html
https://vcf.mycareersfuture.sg/vcf
But say real one, despite your best efforts, job opportunities may still take a while to come during this sucky economic climate. It’s not you.
To employers, tolong lah, retrenchment can also do swee swee
Got hear about the Uber “Zoom fire”? They actually retrenched more than 3,000 workers in a few-minute Zoom call in May. A 3-minute call. The way a company lets go of its staff really says a lot about them sia…
And then there is Resort World Sentosa (RWS) – bobian have to retrench but at least put in effort to do well by their employees. They committed that all affected staff will get fair compensation and early on already told the Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU) and e2i of their retrenchment plans so they could come help. To support these RWS workers, the AREU, NTUC’s Employment & Employability Institute, e2i, together with PSD Singapore, Workforce Singapore – WSG and SkillsFuture SG created a series of job and training initiatives.
When a RWS employee Mr Toh was laid off from his restaurant job, he had been offered several job options by e2i. A job fair held by e2i also saw some workers offered jobs on the spot. Some offered short-term contracts, others considering internships, temporary placements or other lower-paid positions first.
So… even if retrenched, there are still options. Have realistic expectations and don’t give up!
Oh, hearsay some employers pick on small issues and try to fire employees so they don’t need to pay retrenchment benefits! If you know of someone who kena unfair retrenchment, do tell them to go to their unions or Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for advice!
Employers who are retrenching, please at least do it swee swee can. Got ethics a bit.
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