The short answer
Most salary and wrongful dismissal disputes in Singapore must first go through mediation at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM). If mediation does not resolve the dispute, a claim referral certificate is issued. Only then can the claim be filed in the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT). The ECT hears claims of up to S$20,000. That limit rises to S$30,000 where the dispute has been through the Tripartite Mediation Framework, or through mediation assisted by a union recognised under the Industrial Relations Act. Public officers, domestic workers and seafarers are not covered by this process. Each of those groups has a separate route for raising a complaint, and it is worth taking advice on which one applies. The deadlines are strict. A wrongful dismissal claim must be lodged within one month of the last day of employment. An employee dismissed while pregnant has until 2 months after the birth of her child.
What claims can go to TADM and the ECT?
- Salary-related claims: unpaid salary, overtime, unauthorised deductions, salary in lieu of notice, and other statutory or contractual payments.
- Wrongful dismissal claims: dismissal without just cause or excuse, including dismissals found to be discriminatory or made to deprive an employee of benefits, assessed against the Tripartite Guidelines on Wrongful Dismissal.
What are the time limits?
| Claim | Deadline to file at TADM |
|---|---|
| Wrongful dismissal | 1 month from the last day of employment |
| Wrongful dismissal (dismissed while pregnant) | 2 months from the birth of the child |
| Salary claim (ex-employee) | 6 months from leaving employment |
| Salary claim (current employee) | 1 year from the dispute arising |
Missing these windows will generally bar the claim in the ECT. A few further points affect who can claim, by when and for how much. A manager or executive dismissed with notice, or with salary in lieu of notice, can only bring a wrongful dismissal claim after at least 6 months of service with the employer. Other employees have no minimum service requirement, except that an employee dismissed while pregnant must have served at least 3 months. A current employee has to satisfy two separate rules. The first is the filing deadline in the table above, one year from the dispute arising. The second limits what can be recovered: only arrears from the 12 months before the date of filing, so older arrears fall away even where the claim itself is in time. A fresh deadline starts once mediation fails and a claim referral certificate is issued. The claim must be filed at the ECT within 4 weeks of the date the certificate was issued. If you are near a deadline, act first and strategise afterwards.
What if my claim exceeds the ECT limit?
The ECT caps do not extinguish your rights. Larger claims can be pursued in the civil courts instead. These include executive-level salary disputes, bonus disputes, and claims arising from restrictive covenants (non-compete and non-solicitation clauses) and directors’ service agreements. Different limitation periods apply in the courts, generally six years for breach of contract under the Limitation Act 1959. You can also give up the part of your claim that exceeds the ECT cap, so that the rest can be heard in the tribunal. That is sometimes the pragmatic choice, but it is permanent. Under section 15(3) of the Employment Claims Act 2016, the amount given up cannot afterwards be recovered in the tribunal or in any other court. Whether to give up part of a claim is a judgement call, and it is worth taking advice before making it.
What should employers do when a claim comes in?
Employers should treat a TADM invitation seriously: attend, bring the documents (employment contract, key employment terms, payslips, correspondence), and take a realistic view early. Many claims settle at mediation for a fraction of the cost of fighting them. Where the claim is misconceived, a firm and well documented position at mediation often disposes of it. Johnathan Lee advises SMEs on their response, on settlement terms and, where matters go further, on the tribunal and court steps that follow. Parties are not represented by lawyers at an ECT hearing, so the preparation and advice that come before the hearing carry most of the weight.
Frequently asked questions
What can the ECT award for wrongful dismissal?
Remedies include compensation or, in appropriate cases, reinstatement. Compensation is assessed on the facts of the particular case, and it cannot exceed the tribunal’s monetary limits.
I resigned because conditions were unbearable. Do I have a claim?
Possibly. A forced resignation can amount to a wrongful dismissal in substance. These cases turn on their facts, and evidence such as messages and emails often decides them. Given the one-month window, take advice quickly.
My employer says I am a “contractor”, not an employee. Does that end the matter?
No. Labels are not decisive; what matters is the substance of the relationship. Misclassification arguments are common and worth testing.
Is the ECT decision final?
An ECT decision can be appealed only with permission, and only on a question of law or jurisdiction. The window is short. Permission must be sought from the District Court within 7 days after the date the order was made, and the notice of appeal filed within 7 days of permission being granted. Take advice on the merits before appealing.
About the author
Johnathan Lee is an Advocate and Solicitor practising at Fong & Fong LLC. He served as a prosecutor at the Ministry of Manpower before moving into private practice, where he now acts for both employers and employees in MOM investigations, employment offences and workplace disputes.
He holds a Juris Doctor, awarded cum laude, from Singapore Management University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a second major in Communication Studies, awarded Second Class Upper Honours, from Nanyang Technological University. He teaches business negotiations at James Cook University, Singapore Campus, as a sessional associate educator.
Act before the deadline does your deciding for you
Johnathan Lee acts for both employees and employers in salary disputes, wrongful dismissal claims, MOM matters and restraint of trade disputes.
Johnathan Lee, Advocate & Solicitor · 21 Merchant Road #04-00 Unit 502 Singapore 058267
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. The law stated is as at July 2026.