'Can it actually be done?': Singaporean says parents threaten to get her fired from part-time job over lack of family contributions
young asian woman using phone, disappointed, anxious
SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean has turned to social media for advice after claiming that her parents have threatened to get her fired from her part-time job because she has not been contributing financially to the household.
In a post on the r/singaporejobs forum, she explained that her parents were unhappy not only with her lack of financial contributions but also with the nature of her job, which requires her to work until late at night despite offering relatively low pay.
However, she said her options were limited as she had only recently graduated from polytechnic and lacked the qualifications to pursue other fields beyond administrative work.
She was also reluctant to leave her current position, as she genuinely enjoyed the working environment and felt she was learning a lot from the experience.
“I like the boss, the customers, the clients, and it’s a very sweet working environment. I find myself learning a lot at my current workplace, and the boss has been very kind to teach me a lot even though I mess up here and there,” she wrote. “But anyways, said family has been threatening to get me terminated from the job…”
Wondering whether her parents could actually have her dismissed, she asked the online community: “They keep saying they have their ways to go down to the company and force the employer (who also currently likes me a lot) to terminate me, but can it actually be done???”
“I've never been in this kind of situation before, but it's giving me stress every day at home, so I am officially throwing in the towel and asking the sub. Have you guys ever heard of something like this before that can actually happen like that??”
‘Unfortunately, they are in the right here’
In the comments, one Redditor advised her to speak privately with her boss and explain the situation before her parents could potentially approach the company.
“I'd speak privately with your boss and explain the situation before your family tries anything. Also, if you're financially dependent on them, that's probably where they have actual leverage, not through your employer.”
Another suggested that her parents' concerns might be understandable if she was still relying on them financially.
“Have you tried looking for full-time employment? If you are not, why are you still holding on to a part-time role? If your income is not enough to cover your own expenses and you would still have to rely on your family for support, unfortunately they are in the right here even if their actions may not be the most appropriate.”
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A third Redditor, meanwhile, urged her to take precautions by keeping a copy of her important personal documents.
“Don't have advice for the job, but I would suggest keeping your important documents, like your birth certificate, passport, and educational certificates, outside of your home.”
“You could leave them with a trusted friend, or rent a storage location. And make digital copies and back them up somewhere remotely. If they're willing to sabotage your job, I wouldn't put it past them to hold your documents hostage, or destroy them.”/TISG