Is it legal for the employer to check employee’s personal phone?

As title.

Background: I work in a small private sector and we each have a sales target to reach. Recently, bosses has been on my ass for things that is not in the contract. They mentioned things like, have you follow up with clients? Why dont i have client retention? (which is false as data showed otherwise). Why did i not do this and that? (All NOT stated in the contract and wasn’t informed beforehand) and many more.

The story: I have 2 bosses and both did something that i was dumbfounded about.

Boss #1, “talked” to me about things that he was unhappy about (all of it was not stated in my contract). Then, boss told me to text a client to come in early so that i dont have to claim Time Off. I just said okay. And boss looked at me and asked what am i doing? Which bamboozled me. And replied, talking to you? Which boss responded to text client NOW and show it to him. So boss literally made sure i texted client to come in early if they can. Told me after that, next time if i have any clients coming in after work hours, tell them to come earlier so that i dont use many time offs (?????) And that i need to show boss proof that i text those clients moving forward to show that i am working (?????)

Boss #2, “talked” to me about similar things (note again that things they mentioned is not in my contract). Then boss demanded that i showed him my messages with clients to see if i did follow up. I’m like, no biggie right? So all my clients have their name saved as:

-Company name – Client – Actual name of client –

Showed boss in my whatsapp with all the client’s name while i was still holding my phone. Boss took my phone away and press back, revealing all my personal messages as well. I took away immediately and told boss that all clients in my phone is save with company’s name so its easier. Did the same thing, boss pressed back and read through my personal non-work related messages as well. I feel so fucking violated. Just for boss to tell me that, i did follow up with clients but ITS NOT ENOUGH.

Edit: just to add, i DID NOT consent of him taking my phone because i was holding it while scrolling all the client’s messages. He took it off my hand and went further away from me. When i saw he pressed back and look through my personal messages, i took it back immediately. Just for him to snatch my phone yet again. The personal messages he read through included conversations with my family members with sensitive topics. I tried taking my phone again the 2nd time but he blocked me instead, preventing me to take it back.

With that being said, is it even legal for boss to check employee’s personal phone???

Just to add, they are only doing this to me. They dont check on others. Which baffles me because my sales every month hits more than my other colleagues. I just had this conversation with 3 of my colleagues (lunch) and said that what they did is too much. Even worse, they dont micromanage them like how they did to me.

A tourist to Singapore from Australia was seen asking online on why do Singaporean restaurants charge a fee when patrons ask for a glass of water.

He or she also lamented that restaurants in Australia do not charge for them unlike in Singapore and if they do not serve tap water, they will offer bottled water at a small fee.

Here is what he said

“Came from Australia, tap water is free and we don’t have service charge (we tip tho).

In Singapore’s restaurants, I realized restaurants charges for water – many only serve bottle water too. I read from PUB that the tap water is safe to drink, so why do restaurants in Singapore love charging customers for free water?

I would be surprised if 1-2 cups of water is not negligible to the operation cost and if it is negligible it should be included as a part of the service.”

Replies by netizens

• The real reason is because they can and enough people are willing to pay.
• It’s not the cost of the water. It’s the cost of cleaning the glasses, the cost of the time the staff has to bring you the glass of water, and perhaps refill it. F&B are very short staffed. I don’t mind paying a nominal fee for water. Like 1$ per pax.
• It is to sway you towards getting an overpriced beverage instead of overpriced water. The profit margin on drinks is very high.
• It’s the opportunity cost of them not being able to sell you other drinks
• You’re thinking it’s wrong because you’re thinking from a customer point of view… Try thinking from the restaurant owner point of view and you will get your answer easily.

Image source: Unsplash

I have an extremely attractive male colleague – well groomed, cheeky & touchy when out drinking. He publicly posts about his current partner on his social accounts but he always ends a party night out with different girls, often going back to his place.

While I don’t condone cheating, he seems to get a kick out of it – both him and the girls. The thing is, why aren’t the girls compelled to tell his current partner when it’s so easy to track her and drop a message?

Some of the girls are even attached but what is the science behind this? What are the chances of a girl reporting when she’s:

1) single
2) in a relationship.

It seems affairs are everywhere but often kept under the blankets.

Replies and Comments by Netizens

• My ex cheated on me multiple times. The people he cheated/flirted with were people who somehow knew me. As much as I was hurt by the betrayal, I am also hurt by the lack of action to protect me from fellow women. It has affected me to this day. I have trust issues with friendships too. A part of me wished they had told me or protected me. But they were enabling his behaviour. But also in retrospect, I wondered if I would believe them if I was told back then.
• If the girls already are in a relationship and know that he’s also in a relationship are not inclined to tell his partner about it if they are also cheating. Not sure if anyone really dares to snitch on this kind of things especially if someone in the relationship has anger issues. If you want just tell her. If you do you really have balls and I salute you.
• Morally i agree it’s the right thing to do to tell someone when theyre partner is cheating but it’s unfortunately pretty complicated especially if you dont know the person being cheated on. They could choose not to believe you or even accuse you of trying to destroy the relationship. But i guess youve done your part by telling them and how they choose to react is on them, but it sucks that good intentions can backfire sometimes.

Image source: Unsplash

Hi everyone, I would appreciate your thoughts on this small matter.

I was with my boyfriend at macs. When he came back to the table with the food, I troubled him to get a curry sauce, and he replied saying the staffs are busy. But still, he went over to the counter.

After close to 10 mins, he wasn’t back so I walked over and saw him waiting with other customers infront of the counter. He then went to the self-order machine, and wanted to order nuggets. I saw and I went forward and asked him why, and he said he wanted to buy to get the curry sauce.

Upon hearing that, I could feel myself boiling so I told him to go back first. There was a staff preparing orders at the counter so I went forward to ask and the staff passed me the curry sauce.

After I went back, we ate and admitted that we were unhappy about this. He felt that the staffs were busy and I still asked him to get the sauce. For me, I felt unhappy because I couldn’t understand why he wanted to buy extra nuggets to join the queue to get the curry sauce. Why couldn’t he just ask the staff at the counter? I know he didn’t want to trouble the staffs as they were busy, but I just felt angry at that moment.

I told him I’ll post here to get some thoughts, so feel free to comment and let me know what do you think of this small matter over a curry sauce, thanks.

Replies and Comments from netizens

• Sounds like he has some kind of social anxiety about making requests from strangers. How is he in other dining situations? Like requesting for more more tartar sauce or something at a restaurant like Swensens. Is it just a McDonald’s thing? Is it every time, or just this once?
• Or is it that the bf was raised by classy parents, and thought that barging up to the counter to get more sauce for free was inappropriate?
• Doesn’t like to trouble others is one thing, he might also consider himself “jumping queue” and doesn’t want confronting stares and anger from other customers.

Image source: Google Maps, MacDonald’s Facebook

A netizen who apparently fell for a scam on Carousell was seen posting online asking if anyone had fell for a scam and yet managed to recover their money before.

Here is what he asked

“So recently I fell victim to a scam… it was a Carousell one.

Someones account with over 300 5 star reviews got hacked and was being used by a scammer. I had believed the deal since I saw so many reviews and proceeded to paynow (DBS) the guy but never received the product.

Only things I have is his paynow number and his name associated with that, as well as his whatsapp number which is now inactive.

I called DBS and they said getting the money back would be on a best effort basis and they could only do so after the IO prompts them to.

I’m trying not to keep my hopes up but I just wanted to ask if anyone that has been in a scam every get their money back?”

Replies and comments by netizens

• How much were u scammed? If it’s a small amount then make a report with the necessary authorities and move on. No point losing sleep over this. I don’t understand why people like to paynow the seller directly when carousell offers the caroupay platform to transact. Even when I’m selling items, I would insist to use caroupay to avoid the other mess if the other party chut pattern.
• Make a police report but treat the money as gone. I got scammed 4.6k last December & never got it back. Just take it as the price of learning the lesson.
• Hope you learn your lesson. Which is more important to you? Being scammed or having assurance that you can get a refund if the seller is a scammer? One costs more than the other. Choose wisely.

Image source: Carousell.sg, Unsplash

A netizen was seen posting online about an encounter which he had with a little boy at an NTUC supermarket in the vicinity of his block.

According to the netizen, the young boy approached him to ask him for money.

Here is what the netizen said

“This just happened to me. Out for a late night walk. Got approached by a small boy – around 6 years old. No t-shirt, no shoes. He asked me for money. I said I would buy him anything he wanted from NTUC. But he wanted to buy a toy from the provision shop (yes, still open that late).

But I didn’t have any cash, only my phone, and the shop only takes cash. So I said I couldn’t help him. So he went off to ask someone else for money instead.

Not the first time I’ve been approached by a kid asking for money. The last time it happened, the kid walked away dejectedly when I said I would accompany him to a supermarket to buy him anything he wanted.

Has this sort of thing happened to any of you before? How did you handle it? I would’ve bought the kid a toy if I could, but I couldn’t. But does that encourage kids to approach random strangers to ask for things? Is this ok?

(I think the kids live in the rental blocks near my block)”

Replies and comments from netizens

• I’d be more concerned that a young kid is walking by himself late at night, especially in your case without t-shirt and shoes. He could be separated from his parents and is walking around aimlessly. I’d ask him some questions regarding who he knows and where he stays just to bring him back to someone who knows him, even better if there’s a police station nearby where I can bring him to so that I can leave him under the temporary care of someone (the police) who I can trust to take care of him.
• Sounds like a case of lack of parental supervision and potential neglect. I would probably buy the toy for him and talk to him about the dangers of going out alone. Will then get him shoes (if not too difficult) and send him back home. I’ll also talk to his parents. Lastly, I will contact the nearest Family Service Office (since I have the unit number) and the social service worker can go and speak to the parents.
• During this month, open camera n point to child, if have image then respond.

Image source: Google Maps

I (29m) recently got into an argument with my girlfriend (28f) about money.

submitted by /u/treetop-octopus
[link] [comments]

A netizen posted online asking if it is possible for him or her to own a overseas Government property and yet own a HDB in Singapore.

Here is what was shared

“Doing some life plannings…

Married a foreigner and planning to have retirement life over there but it is at least another good 25 years.

Currently i have no HDB in singapore but i’m planning to get one in the next few years. However, there is a really good opportunity now in another country to buy a property. So when i read up HDB website, to purchase a resale with grants, the owners of the HDB shouldn’t have any OVERSEAS PRIVATE PROPERTY.

So this overseas property opportunity is actually govt property… will it be possible for me to get HDB and is grants after i purchase the govt property from another country? Or perhaps any one knows what does private property mean in HDB website? Anyone encountered any similar thing before? Need help.”

Replies and comments by netizens

• No, you can’t own any property overseas if you want those grants for HDB
• Just send an email to HDB to ask. If someone on the forum say can, years later you going to use their reply to justify your case to buy a HDB?
• If an overseas property opportunity came up, and you can take up this property, it is probably private property. This is especially so when you can dispose of it as a matter of personal rights. It does not matter if the seller is a foreign government. In Singapore, private property means non-HDB property.

Image source: Unsplash