It was my second week on the job when my boss told me to stay back after hours or I’d get fired. It took me by surprise because I thought I was doing a great job. L
ittle did I know that in Singapore, white collar workers are not protected in the same way blue-collar workers are.
I had recently moved to Singapore for a job in finance, and I was excited to be a part of a well-known company with a great reputation. I was confident that I could do a good job, and I was eager to prove myself.
The first few days on the job were going great. My boss seemed pleased with my work, and I was making new friends in the office. Everything seemed perfect.
But then one day, my boss called me into his office and told me that I had to stay late and work or I’d be fired. I was shocked. I had never been asked to do something like this before.
I asked him why and he said that it was necessary for the company to meet its deadlines. He said that he had asked other employees to stay late too, and that if I didn’t comply then I’d be fired.
I was taken aback by this. I had always been taught to respect authority and I didn’t want to risk getting fired. I asked him if there were any other options, but he said that there were none.
I reluctantly stayed late and worked, but I was feeling frustrated, angry, and helpless all at the same time. I felt taken advantage of and powerless in the face of my boss’s demands.
After that, I started to do some research and found out that in Singapore, white-collar workers with a salary of a certain threshold do not get overtime pay. They are not protected in the same way as blue-collar workers are and employers can basically demand whatever they want from their employees.
This made me even more bitter. I was already working hard and doing my best, and yet I was still being taken advantage of in this way. It was unfair and unjust, and I was determined to do something about it.
I started to speak to other people in the company and found out that they had all experienced the same thing.
Although my boss still makes me stay late from time to time, I now know that I have rights and that I can speak up if I feel taken advantage of.