How Singapore connects is not only about getting a job.
A labour market also needs a repair pathway when salary is unpaid, contractual payments are disputed or an employee believes a dismissal was wrongful.
Did you know that many employment disputes do not begin in a courtroom?
The employee files a claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, or TADM.
TADM assesses the claim.
The employer is notified.
The parties enter mediation.
If they settle, the dispute may end there.
If they do not, an eligible claim can proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
This article follows Singapore’s workplace-dispute connection layer: TADM, salary-related employment claims, wrongful-dismissal claims, evidence, filing deadlines, mediation, union support, claim limits and the handoff to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
The employment-permission layer is explored in How Singapore Connects | Work Passes, MOM and Foreign Workforce Administration. Payroll and CPF are explored in How Singapore Connects | Payroll, CPF Contributions and Retirement Savings. Here we ask the repair question: what happens when the employment relationship breaks financially or procedurally?
Did You Know? TADM Is the First Formal Stop for Many Employment Claims
The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management provides mediation and dispute-management services for eligible employment claims.
The design is deliberate.
Resolve disputes earlier and more simply where possible before escalating to tribunal adjudication.
The Employment Claim Is a Structured Version of a Workplace Problem
I was not paid.
My overtime is missing.
My commission was deducted.
I was dismissed unfairly.
TADM converts the grievance into a formal claim with amount, dates, evidence and legal category.
Two Major Employee Claim Types Sit at the Centre
- salary-related employment claims; and
- wrongful-dismissal claims.
They can be filed separately or together when the facts justify both.
Salary Claims Cover More Than Basic Monthly Pay
TADM’s current employee filing service lists salary-related claims including:
- salary;
- overtime pay;
- bonuses;
- commission;
- deductions;
- paid leave entitlements;
- sick leave pay; and
- eligible maternity-leave benefits.
The employment contract and applicable law define what was owed.
The Employment Contract Is the First Evidence Layer
Salary amount.
Commission formula.
Working hours.
Notice period.
The contract turns an argument into a document that can be tested.
Payroll Records Are the Second Layer
Payslip.
Bank credit.
Attendance.
CPF contribution.
The claim becomes stronger when several records tell the same story.
Did You Know? CPF Statements Can Be Evidence
TADM specifically lists CPF statements among useful supporting documents for salary-related employment claims.
A payroll dispute can therefore connect directly to CPF records.
Messages Can Become Employment Evidence
WhatsApp.
Email.
Work chat.
A manager’s instruction or acknowledgement can help establish what happened.
The Strongest Claim Has a Timeline
Work performed.
Payment due.
Payment missing.
Employee asks.
Employer responds.
Claim filed.
A clear chronology makes mediation easier.
Did You Know? A Salary Claim While Still Employed Has a One-Year Filing Limit
TADM’s current filing page says an employee who is still employed must file a salary-related employment claim within one year after the dispute arose.
The clock begins from the underlying payment dispute, not from whenever the employee finally decides to act.
After Leaving Employment, the Filing Window Becomes Six Months
If the employee has left the job, TADM requires salary-related claims to be filed within six months from the last date of employment.
The Claim Period Is Also Limited
TADM says claims cannot reach indefinitely far back.
For an ex-employee, the recoverable salary period generally cannot be earlier than one year from the date of filing under the current framework.
Delay Can Destroy an Otherwise Valid Claim
Evidence may exist.
Employer may genuinely owe money.
But if the statutory filing window expires, TADM may no longer be able to assist through this claim route.
Wrongful Dismissal Is a Different Clock
A dismissal dispute is time-sensitive because the employee is challenging the reason or legality of termination itself.
Did You Know? Wrongful-Dismissal Claims Must Generally Be Filed Within One Month
TADM’s current rules say wrongful-dismissal claims must generally be filed within one month after the employee’s last day of employment.
Pregnancy-Related Wrongful Dismissal Has a Special Window
TADM says eligible wrongful-dismissal claims connected to pregnancy can be filed within two months of the child’s birth under the relevant framework.
A Wrongful-Dismissal Claim Is Not Simply ‘I Disliked Being Fired’
Valid business reasons for dismissal can include:
- misconduct;
- poor performance; and
- redundancy.
The employee must dispute the dismissal as wrongful and support that position with facts or documents.
Examples of Potentially Wrongful Reasons Include Discrimination or Punishment for Exercising Employment Rights
TADM’s filing guidance includes situations involving dismissal without just or sufficient cause, such as discriminatory reasons, deprivation of employment benefits or punishment for exercising an employment right.
Involuntary Resignation Can Also Be Examined
A worker who was effectively forced to resign may be able to bring a wrongful-dismissal claim where the circumstances meet the legal test.
Managers and Executives Face an Additional Service Requirement in Some Cases
TADM’s current rules say a manager or executive dismissed with notice or salary in lieu, or who resigned involuntarily, generally must have served the employer at least six months before bringing a wrongful-dismissal claim under that route.
Pregnant Employees Have a Shorter Minimum-Service Requirement
TADM says an employee dismissed while pregnant generally must have served at least three months for the relevant wrongful-dismissal protection.
The Claim Can Seek Reinstatement or Compensation
Wrongful-dismissal remedies can include:
- reinstatement; and
- compensation.
The appropriate outcome depends on the facts and adjudicative result.
Did You Know? The Standard Claim Cap Is S$20,000 per Claim
TADM’s current employee filing rules set a maximum of S$20,000 per salary-related or wrongful-dismissal claim for non-union members.
Union-Assisted Claims Can Reach S$30,000 per Claim
If an eligible union files on the member’s behalf, the maximum rises to S$30,000 per claim under the current Employment Claims Act framework.
Combined Claims Can Reach S$40,000 or S$60,000
TADM says a worker bringing both a salary-related claim and wrongful-dismissal claim can claim up to:
- S$40,000 in total for a non-union member, subject to S$20,000 per claim; or
- S$60,000 in total where an eligible union files, subject to S$30,000 per claim.
The limits control the simplified employment-claims route.
Did You Know? MOM Reviewed the Wrongful-Dismissal Claim Limits Again in September 2026
MOM’s 8 September 2026 parliamentary reply said that from 2020 to 2025, ECT awarded compensation in favour of employees in 623 wrongful-dismissal claims, around 30% of the total wrongful-dismissal claims filed at ECT.
MOM also said fewer than 9% of compensation awards reached the applicable S$20,000 or S$30,000 claim limit.
The ministry said it reviews the limits from time to time with tripartite partners.
The Simplified Route Is Designed for Moderate-Sized Claims
If a claimant seeks recovery beyond the ECT claim cap, TADM advises considering ordinary legal proceedings and legal advice.
Different dispute sizes belong in different procedural systems.
The Filing Fee Is Small but Real
TADM currently charges:
- S$10 per claim if the amount claimed is S$10,000 or less; and
- S$20 per claim if it exceeds S$10,000.
The fee is non-refundable.
Did You Know? The Claim Is Not Successfully Filed Until Payment Is Received
TADM says payment must be made within three days of filing.
If it is not received, the claim can be purged and the employee must refile.
Submitting the form and completing the filing are not the same event.
The Filing Service Uses Singpass
TADM’s employee filing service requires Singpass.
The worker’s identity becomes attached to the employment claim.
The Employer Is Identified by UEN
TADM asks for the employer’s company name, UEN, mailing address and contact details.
That connects the workplace dispute to How Singapore Connects | ACRA, UEN and Business Registration.
The Claim Has Two Identifiable Parties
Employee identity.
Employer entity identity.
Mediation is possible only when the system knows exactly who the dispute is between.
TADM Assesses the Claim Before Mediation
Not every allegation automatically receives a mediation appointment.
TADM checks whether the claim falls within the scope and whether the employee has provided enough support to proceed.
The Employer Receives the Claim Details
TADM says claim details are shared with the employer when the matter is referred for mediation or onward to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
A fair dispute process requires both sides to know the case they must answer.
Mediation Is the Repair Layer
Mediator does not simply choose a winner.
The parties explain their positions.
Documents are examined.
Settlement possibilities are explored.
The Goal Is an Enforceable Resolution Without Full Adjudication Where Possible
Paid salary.
Agreed compensation.
Corrected employment record.
A mediated settlement can solve the practical problem faster than litigation.
Mediation Preserves More Control for the Parties
In adjudication, the tribunal decides.
In mediation, the parties can shape the settlement if they agree.
Employment Disputes Are Often Relationship and Evidence Problems Together
The employee remembers one conversation.
The manager remembers another.
The payslip says something measurable.
The mediator helps convert emotion into specific disputed items.
The Employment Claims Tribunals Are the Adjudication Layer
If mediation does not resolve an eligible claim, the matter can proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals under the applicable referral process.
ECT Is a Court Tribunal, Not Another Mediation Session
The tribunal hears evidence and arguments.
A tribunal magistrate can make binding orders within jurisdiction.
That Connects TADM to the Courts
The digital court layer is explored in How Singapore Connects | Courts, eLitigation and Access to Justice.
TADM is the mediation gateway.
ECT is the adjudicative gateway.
The Employment Claims Route Is Designed to Be More Accessible Than Ordinary Civil Litigation
Lower filing fees.
Specialised subject matter.
Structured forms.
Mediation before tribunal.
The system lowers the repair cost of ordinary employment disputes.
The Route Does Not Cover Every Worker
TADM’s current employee claim route excludes categories such as:
- seafarers;
- domestic workers;
- statutory board employees; and
- civil servants
Some categories use different employment or statutory dispute channels.
Maternity-Related Exceptions Can Apply for Public-Sector Employees
TADM notes that statutory board employees and civil servants may still have a route for maternity-related wrongful-dismissal claims under the Child Development Co-Savings Act.
Company Insolvency Changes the Route
If the employer is in liquidation, judicial management or relevant insolvency process, TADM directs claimants to the insolvency office, judicial manager or liquidator rather than the ordinary employment-claim route.
The Employer Can Be Unable to Pay Even When the Claim Is Valid
Legal entitlement and financial recoverability are different questions.
Insolvency law takes over when the company itself can no longer meet obligations normally.
The Claim Should Be Filed Early
Time limit.
Evidence decay.
Witness memory.
Company restructuring.
Delay makes almost every dispute harder.
The Employee Should Preserve Records Before Leaving
Employment contract.
Payslips.
CPF statements.
Messages.
Attendance records.
Termination letter.
The best evidence can disappear when access to company systems is removed.
Screenshots Should Preserve Context
Date.
Sender.
Recipient.
Conversation sequence.
A cropped line can be weaker than a properly preserved exchange.
CPF Can Reveal Underpayment but Not Every Salary Dispute
CPF contributions may show whether declared wages roughly align with payment.
But commissions, overtime or excluded components can require other evidence.
Employment Claims Connect to Payroll
The normal flow in How Singapore Connects | Payroll, CPF Contributions and Retirement Savings becomes the evidence base when payroll fails.
Employment Claims Connect to Work Passes
A foreign employee can face both wage and immigration consequences if employment ends.
That connects the dispute layer to How Singapore Connects | Work Passes, MOM and Foreign Workforce Administration.
A Work-Pass Cancellation Does Not Erase a Valid Salary Claim
Employment may end.
The dispute about money already earned can continue through the proper claim route, subject to eligibility and deadlines.
Employment Claims Connect to Unions
Union members can receive filing support and, where the union files on their behalf, access higher claim caps under the current framework.
Union Representation Changes the Support Layer
The worker is not navigating the claim alone.
The union can help structure evidence, claim amounts and mediation strategy.
The Employer Also Needs Evidence
Performance records.
Warning letters.
Payroll records.
Redundancy documents.
The employer should be able to justify its position as clearly as the claimant.
A Fair Process Needs Both Sides to Be Legible
Employee says unpaid.
Employer says already paid.
Bank statement resolves.
Documentation lowers unnecessary conflict.
A Small Example: Unpaid Salary
Employee leaves company.
Last month’s salary remains unpaid.
Employee files within six months.
Uploads contract, payslips, bank records and messages.
TADM refers claim to mediation.
Employer agrees to payment schedule.
Settlement resolves the claim.
A payroll failure has become a mediated financial repair.
A Small Example: Wrongful Dismissal
Employee receives termination letter.
Believes dismissal was punishment for exercising an employment right.
Files within one month.
TADM assesses documents.
Mediation fails.
Eligible claim proceeds to ECT.
Tribunal decides whether compensation or another remedy is warranted.
A Small Example: Combined Claim
Employee says S$12,000 salary is owed and dismissal was wrongful.
Files both claims.
Each claim remains subject to its individual cap.
Combined non-union total can reach S$40,000.
One failed employment relationship has created two separate legal questions.
What Can Break the Employment-Claims Connection?
- wrongful-dismissal claim filed after one month;
- salary claim filed after the applicable deadline;
- evidence left inside inaccessible company systems;
- filing fee not paid within three days;
- wrong employer UEN entered;
- claim amount not supported by calculation;
- employee confuses disagreement with legally wrongful dismissal;
- employer in insolvency but claimant uses wrong route;
- union member files without using available union support; and
- mediation settlement reached but terms are vague or unrealistic.
The strongest dispute pathway begins with timing and evidence.
How to Read an Employment Claim Like a Systems Thinker
1. Identify the claim type
Salary, wrongful dismissal or both?
2. Find the deadline
Still employed, left employment, or dismissal date?
3. Build the amount
What is actually owed or sought?
4. Build the evidence
Contract, payroll, CPF, attendance and messages?
5. File and pay
Has the claim been successfully lodged with TADM?
6. Mediate
Can the dispute be resolved by agreement?
7. Escalate if needed
Is the unresolved claim eligible for ECT?
The eduKate Singapore Graph: A Labour Market Needs a Repair Shop
Jobs create value when they work.
TADM exists for the moments when the employment relationship stops working.
Claim.
Evidence.
Mediate.
Settle or adjudicate.
The economy stays trustworthy when broken employment obligations have a repair path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TADM?
The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, which provides mediation and dispute-management services for eligible employment claims.
What salary claims can be filed?
Claims can include salary, overtime, commissions, bonuses, deductions and other eligible contractual or statutory salary items.
When must an ex-employee file a salary claim?
Within six months of the last date of employment.
What if I am still employed?
TADM says salary-related claims should be filed within one year after the dispute arose.
When must wrongful-dismissal claims be filed?
Generally within one month after the last day of employment.
What is the normal claim limit?
S$20,000 per claim for non-union members.
What if a union files for me?
The limit is S$30,000 per claim under the current framework.
Can salary and wrongful-dismissal claims be combined?
Yes, up to S$40,000 total for non-union claimants or S$60,000 with eligible union filing, subject to per-claim limits.
What happens if mediation fails?
Eligible unresolved claims can be referred onward to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
Where can I file?
TADM | File an Employment Claim.
Helpful Reading and Singapore Graph Connections
- TADM | File a Claim for Mediation
- TADM | Mediation Guide
- MOM | 8 September 2026 Wrongful Dismissal Claims and Limits
- How Singapore Connects | Payroll, CPF Contributions and Retirement Savings
- How Singapore Connects | Courts, eLitigation and Access to Justice
How Singapore Connects: The Workplace Has an Exit Ramp for Disputes
Did you know that a salary dispute can move from WhatsApp messages to a formal settlement without beginning with a lawsuit?
Document.
File.
Mediate.
Settle.
Escalate only if needed.
The repair system lowers the cost of making employment obligations real.