If your salary is late

When pay is due

An employer may fix the salary periods for which salary is paid, but a salary period must not exceed one month. If no salary period is fixed, it is taken to be one month.

Employment Act s 20

Additional payments for overtime work must be paid not later than 14 days after the last day of the salary period in which the overtime work was done.

Employment Act s 21(2)

The total salary due to an employee when the contract of service is completed must be paid on its completion.

Employment Act s 21(3)

Salary must be paid on a working day and during working hours, at the place of work or at another place the employer and the employee agree. This does not apply when the salary is paid into an account with a bank in Singapore in the employee's name, alone or jointly with others.

Employment Act s 25

What can be taken out of your pay

No deduction may be made from an employee's salary unless it is authorised by or under the Employment Act, or required by any of the orders, declarations or directions the section lists, such as an order of a court.

Employment Act s 26(1)

The deductions the Act allows include:

• Deductions for absence from work
• Deductions to recover an advance, a loan or an unearned employment benefit, or to adjust an overpayment of salary
• Contributions your employer pays on your behalf under the Central Provident Fund Act 1953
• Other deductions made with your written consent

Employment Act s 27(1)

You can withdraw your written consent to a deduction by written notice to your employer at any time before the deduction is made, and you cannot be penalised for withdrawing it.

Employment Act s 27(1A)

In any one salary period, deductions must not total more than 50% of the salary payable for that period, or another percentage the Minister prescribes instead. Deductions under section 27(1)(a), (f) and (j) do not count towards that limit.

Employment Act s 32(1)

That limit does not apply to deductions from the last salary due when your contract of service is terminated or completed.

Employment Act s 32(2)

If your salary is not paid

An employer who fails to pay salary as the Act's rules on paying salary require is guilty of an offence.

Employment Act s 34(1)

Before a claimant lodges a claim against a respondent, the claimant must submit to the Commissioner a mediation request for every dispute the claim will be about.

Employment Claims Act s 3(1)

Subject to the Act's other time limits for particular disputes, the request must be submitted not later than 6 months after your last day of employment if your employment has ended, or otherwise not later than one year after the facts giving rise to the earliest dispute in the request occurred. The Minister may lengthen or shorten these periods by order in the Gazette.

Employment Claims Act s 3(2)

A claim must be supported by a claim referral certificate issued for every dispute it is lodged for.

Employment Claims Act s 12(5)

A claim cannot be split into separate proceedings only to bring each part within the amount a tribunal can hear.

Employment Claims Act s 14