SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean jobseeker went online to vent her utter disbelief upon discovering that the S$3,000 entry-level position she had been offered came with what she referred to as “unlimited unpaid overtime.”
In a post on Reddit’s ‘Ask Singapore’ forum, she explained that the contract presented to her included a clause stating that she would be required to “work public holidays and weekends if needed.”
“I am actually shocked, as I have never heard of a regular office job requiring weekend work in this era,” she wrote.
“Working hours are already 44 hours, from 9 am to 7 pm or longer on regular days, and sometimes weekends and Saturdays are required during peak holiday months. During those periods, the schedule is 9 am to 6 pm, and travel time can take 75 to 90 minutes one way. I could have no work-life balance.”
Despite finding the arrangement exhausting, the woman said she is still considering the offer because her only other option is an internship that pays S$1,000 a month.
Seeking guidance from the Reddit community, she asked, “Is it normal for an entry-level job to come with potentially unlimited unpaid overtime? In this economy, are jobs hard to come by, and should I just take any full-time position I can find?”
“And if I sign the employment contract first and then find a better offer before the start date, will I be penalised and forced to pay, or do I just give notice? How does that even work? It would make no sense for me to show up for a two-week to one-month period and then leave. My ideal situation is to find a job in a design studio with work-life balance and hybrid options, but in Singapore, there seem to be no vacancies.”
“I think you may have to change your mindset so that you feel less miserable.”
Her post sparked a flood of responses from Singaporeans, many of whom said this type of arrangement is actually quite common.
One commenter said bluntly, “To be honest, most office jobs out there have unlimited OT. Most only give you taxi and meal allowances, which you can claim after a few hours of overtime.”
Another, who works in the design and advertising industry, shared, “OT and unpaid overtime are extremely common. Especially if you’re a junior as it takes a longer time to get work up to the ‘standard’ deemed acceptable. It just gets better at the senior levels as you have more say in your workload.”
A third Redditor added, “Sadly, it’s common. The worst part is that if you don’t take it, someone else might be willing to anyways and this doesn’t change. Else, offer this job to somebody in Malaysia at 9k MYR a month.”
Others, meanwhile, suggested that she reframe how she views the situation. One person wrote, “I think you may have to change your mindset so that you feel less miserable. See this job as a stepping stone, a learning ground. Learn as much as you can, and then see if you go somewhere else better.”
They added, “And yes like everyone else says, it’s true that there’s OT on some days. Sometimes interns have to OT as well, so don’t think that getting an internship means guaranteed no OT. With lesser pay, you might even feel more miserable! Just my 2 cents.”
In other news, a young Singaporean confessed on social media that her parents have warned they’ll “disown her” if she doesn’t secure a spot at a top overseas university.
In a heartfelt post on the subreddit r/SGExams, the student explained that her parents, who are Singaporean-Chinese and have studied abroad themselves, are “obsessed with prestige” and have drawn a hard line when it comes to university choices.