askST Jobs: Is it OK to ask my boss if more retrenchments are coming?

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Should you ask your boss about further retrenchments? Experts explain what employers in Singapore must disclose. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Employees should acknowledge their anxieties before raising concerns about further retrenchments.

Q: How much information can employees reasonably expect from their bosses about possible further retrenchments? Are bosses obliged to tell employees if more retrenchments are being considered?

When an organisation announces retrenchments, much of the attention understandably goes to the employees who are leaving, and those who remain are sometimes overlooked.

For these employees, the uncertainty can be just as unsettling, as they may wonder whether the layoff exercise is over or if they could be next.

“These are legitimate concerns, especially for employees with financial and family commitments,” said Don Leow, human resources director at the National Institute of Education.

In Singapore, employers are generally not legally obliged to disclose preliminary discussions about possible retrenchments.

But there are requirements to notify the Ministry of Manpower when employees are laid off, as well as tripartite guidelines encouraging early communication with employees and unions.

Leow said there are legitimate reasons why management may not be able to share information about possible retrenchments prematurely.

Business conditions can change, different options may still be under consideration, and discussions may involve commercially sensitive information.

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