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SINGAPORE – Severance agreements should never include clauses that discourage or inhibit employees from approaching the authorities under any circumstances, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said in a written parliamentary reply on Nov 5.

He was responding to questions from Non-Constituency MP Andre Low regarding travel booking platform

Agoda’s recent

Mr Tan said besides the Agoda case, the ministry has not received any related complaints over the past three years.

Mr Low had asked about the number of complaints MOM had received over the last three years regarding severance agreements that contain clauses discouraging staff from approaching the authorities or unions.

He also asked whether there are proactive monitoring or existing audit mechanisms to prevent the inclusion of clauses that undermine a worker’s right to seek redress in severance agreements.

Mr Tan said the Government is mindful not to “over-regulate” and be intrusive when it comes to private agreements between employers and workers, even as it empathises with employees’ concerns over i...