Busting the one month severance pay rules

Cooling off periods for severance offers

Practical changes to workplace fairness.

Weaponising mental health at workplaces.

Claim limits and lawyer bans in new laws

Retrenchment payouts, mental health claims & the Workplace Fairness Act: How S’pore’s new law rewrites the rules.

Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each week, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day.

With the landmark Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) set to take full effect in late 2027, the rules of the corporate game are about to change. But will the new laws actually protect the everyday worker, or just create new legal loopholes?

In this episode of In Your Opinion, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with veteran employment lawyer Jonathan Yuen, Partner at Rajah & Tann. 

They peel back the curtain on the dark side of HR tactics, from weaponised Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to the 24-hour ultimatum room. Plus, an insider look at the new $250,000 Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) limit, and why the upcoming legal changes might force unrepresented employees into a David and Goliath battle against corporate HR. 

Highlights (click/tap above): 

8:46 Myth busted: The '1 month per year' severance rule

20:41 Should Singapore introduce a mandatory cooling-off period for severance offers?

25:30 What is the most practical change from the Workplace Fairness Act?

32:44 Genuine struggles vs weaponising mental health against employers

39:06 The $250,000 claim limit and the ban on lawyers under the new law

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v

Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) 

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

Watch The Mother Load on YouTube: https://str.sg/HnaV

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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#inyouropinion

Retrenchment payouts, mental health claims &amp; the Workplace Fairness Act: How S&rsquo;pore&rsquo;s new law rewrites the rules.
Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each week, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day.
With the landmark Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) set to take full effect in late 2027, the rules of the corporate game are about to change. But will the new laws actually protect the everyday worker, or just create new legal loopholes?
In this episode of In Your Opinion, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with veteran employment lawyer Jonathan Yuen, Partner at Rajah &amp; Tann.&nbsp;
They peel back the curtain on the dark side of HR tactics, from weaponised Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to the 24-hour ultimatum room. Plus, an insider look at the new $250,000 Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) limit, and why the upcoming legal changes might force unrepresented employees into a David and Goliath battle against corporate HR.&nbsp;
Highlights (click/tap above):&nbsp;
8:46 Myth busted: The '1 month per year' severance rule
20:41 Should Singapore introduce a mandatory cooling-off period for severance offers?
25:30 What is the most practical change from the Workplace Fairness Act?
32:44 Genuine struggles vs weaponising mental health against employers
39:06 The $250,000 claim limit and the ban on lawyers under the new law
Read ST&rsquo;s Opinion section:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sH"> https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn:<a href="https://str.sg/Gm2v"> https://str.sg/Gm2v</a>
Host: Lynda Hong (<a href="mailto:lyndahong@sph.com.sg">lyndahong@sph.com.sg)</a>&nbsp;
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wukb"> https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sV"> https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>&nbsp;
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>&nbsp;
Watch The Mother Load on YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/HnaV">https://str.sg/HnaV</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#inyouropinion

A hard look at the social issues of the month in Singapore. Join ST journalists and other guests as they discuss with Lydia Wong.

Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each week, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day.

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each week, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day.
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Danson Cheong &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.