MAN HOLDS COMPANY’S LAPTOP ‘HOSTAGE’ AFTER HE GETS RETRENCHED

Asshole company wants their laptop back after retrenching me

I have just been retrenched. The company I was with hired me through an Employer-of-Record arrangement as they do not have a legal registered entity in Singapore.

A few weeks before I was retrenched, I received a signed letter from my employer confirming that I have passed my probation. However, as the letter did not come from the Employer-of-Record, I was given much less payment in-lieu of notice as the company argued that the letter of confirmation needs to come from the Employer-of-Record.

I disputed the arrangement, and called the company out for being disingenuous. I also told them that I will be holding on to the company laptop until they honor the letter of confirmation they gave me.

I have already received my last payment from the company (without the full payment in-lieu), and IT is reaching out to me now to return the laptop.

I have two questions.

1. What are the chances of making the company pay me the full sum in-lieu of notice if I bring the letter to MoM?

2. What are the repercussions if I choose to just ignore IT’s request and keep the laptop anyway?

Here are what netizens think:

• It’s not gonna make them feel the pinch or anything. It’s a company. They loose one laptop they can replace many others. I’d just save myself the grief and return what dosen’t belong to me.

• Very often, laptops are considered cheap company assets anyway which can be written off. Especially if you intend to remain in this industry, holding onto the laptop (even an expensive high end model) as “hostage” will hurt you in the long run as this company will always use it as a means to get you blacklisted as a “criminal and thief’

• after so long not yet return. omg. why you can’t return when you are not the owner at all.

• Well.. refer to the contract. If the contract got nothing on this, it is their property, have to return. If goes to court, assuming they want to bring you there, you not receiving the compensation you want wouldn’t be considered as it is a seperate matter altogether.