09:00 – 09:30 – Welcome, Context and Overview

• Learners to discuss and share questions they have related to the topics

09:30 – 10:30 – Termination of Employment
• Definition and lawful grounds for termination
• Employment Act notice periods, salary in lieu, mutual termination
• Procedural steps, documentation, and exit checklist

10:30 – 10:45 – Tea Break

10:45 – 12:00 – Dismissal for Misconduct or Poor Performance
• What constitutes misconduct (s14 Employment Act)
• Due inquiry process and documentation
• Distinguishing dismissal from termination
• Managing poor performance and last-chance procedures

12:00 – 12:30 – Constructive Dismissal and Wrongful Termination
• Understanding constructive dismissal under common law
• Legal redress and tripartite mediation
• Roles of MOM and TADM

12:30 – 13:30 – Lunch Break

13:30 – 14:45 – Retrenchment and Redundancy Management
• Definition and triggers of retrenchment
• Tripartite Guidelines on Responsible Retrenchment
• Retrenchment benefits computation and selection criteria
• Notification to MOM and union requirements
• Communicating with affected employees

14:45 – 15:30 – Retirement and Re-Employment Obligations
• Key provisions under the Retirement and Re-employment Act
• Minimum retirement age and re-employment up to 68
• Employment Assistance Payment (EAP)
• Managing transition conversations

15:30 – 15:45 – Tea Break

15:45 – 16:30 – Frustration of Contract and Other Grounds for Cessation
• Definition of frustration (e.g., medical incapacity, force majeure)
• Legal implications and fair treatment
• Distinction between resignation and abandonment

16:30 – 17:00 – Summative Assessment
• MCQ assessment to summarise learning

Learning Resources and References

• Recent cases in the news
• Mini quizzes
• Employment Act 1968 (revised 2024)
• Retirement and Re-employment Act 2012 (revised 2022)
• Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Retrenchment Practices (2023)
• MOM Employment Termination Advisory
• TAFEP Fair Employment Practices Toolkit
• Case studies from Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM)

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between types of employment severance under Singapore law.
2. Apply key statutory provisions from the Employment Act, Retirement and Re-employment Act, and common law.
3. Execute lawful and fair procedures for termination, dismissal, and retrenchment.
4. Manage severance pay, notice, and documentation in compliance with MOM guidelines.
5. Handle employee communication and exit management with empathy and professionalism.

As current economic conditions compel businesses to undergo restructuring, attending this course is vital to ensure all employment cessation processes are executed legally, fairly, and in strict compliance with Singapore’s Tripartite Guidelines, thereby avoiding costly disputes and reputational damage.

HR professionals, line managers, business owners, HR administrators handling employee exits, and union or employee relations officers.