I was dismissed without notice. Is this a wrongful dismissal?

What the Law Says

The Employment Act sets minimum notice periods for termination by either employer or employee. Dismissal without notice is only lawful if justified by serious misconduct — otherwise, it may amount to wrongful dismissal.

Under the Employment Act, an employer must give written notice of termination, or pay salary in lieu of notice, unless the dismissal is for misconduct that justifies immediate dismissal.

The required notice period depends on how long the employee has worked: at least 1 day for less than 26 weeks, 7 days for 26 weeks to 2 years, 14 days for 2 to 5 years, and 30 days for 5 years or more.

Even if the Employment Act does not apply (e.g., to managers earning over S$5,000/month), the terms of your employment contract still govern notice requirements — and breaching them may make dismissal wrongful.

Statutory Text

Every contract of service shall be deemed to include a term that the employer and the employee may terminate the contract without notice by paying to the other party wages in lieu of notice equal to the amount of wages which would have been earned by the employee during the notice period.

— Employment Act 1968, s. 10 — Termination of contract

What to Do

Sources