CNA Explains: Why did a senior worker who was made to retire win his claim against his company?

“Then the employee will get upset because they see it as being very disrespectful of someone who has probably worked there for a very long time,” she said, adding that such queries mostly come from long-term employees.

What can employees do in a dispute?

While re-employment obligations rest with the company, employees can plan ahead for the later stages of their career, lawyers said. 

Mr Kelvin Tan, co-head of Drew and Napier’s employment practice, said workers can prepare by training for new roles and can initiate re-employment discussions from six months or more before retirement, with union support where applicable.

Since an employment contract continues automatically if no action is taken, raising the matter early can be a double-edged sword, said Simmons and Simmons’ Mr Ngo. 

“The question in an employee’s mind is: are you comfortable leaving it as is until your employer does something, or would you rather have clarity upfront?”

Employees in a dispute have three options, Mr Ngo said: approaching MOM, approaching a union, or filing a claim through the Employment Claims Tribunals. MOM’s commissioner for labour may consult both parties or appoint a mediator, and the manpower minister can also direct re-employment or compensation.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said it assisted the worker in this case after he raised concerns about his employer’s re-employment offer.

As the company was not unionised, a case officer assessed it as a potential retirement and re-employment dispute and advised him on his options. He first tried NTUC’s voluntary mediation; when that failed, the case was escalated to the Employment Claims Tribunals.

To bring a claim to the tribunal, workers must first go through mandatory mediation with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, obtain a referral if unresolved, then file a claim through the State Courts system.

Are such disputes common?

NTUC said it has seen more disputes related to retirement and re-employment in the past year, although cases involving retirement without notice or proper payment remain uncommon.

The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management arm that works with NTUC saw three such cases in 2025. 

As of Jul 1, Singapore’s retirement and re-employment ages have been raised to 64 and 69 respectively, and will rise again to 65 and 70 by 2030.

“As more workers choose to remain in employment later in life, it is common that workers may seek clarification or assistance to better understand their rights and entitlements,” NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay said.

“As these changes are implemented, we hope that more workers will become familiar with their rights and the protections available to them.” 

Mr Tay also stressed that companies should conduct re-employment and retirement exercises fairly and sensitively, with meaningful engagement with the worker involved.

“Re-employment should not be treated as a procedural exercise. It should be approached as an opportunity to retain experienced workers who are willing and able to continue contributing,” he said.