Is it common for companies to sack older workers?
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i extracted this from the straits times forum.
I had been a loyal employee of McDonald's Singapore for the past 22 years and had risen from a Trainee Manager to Senior Restaurateur.
I had a reasonably good performance record over these years. In the past 12 months, my performance rating was excellent.
Recently, I was shocked to find myself given a Notice of Termination and was told to leave the company immediately without being given any reason.
I was given one month's pay in lieu of notice. I have to admit I had been naive to believe that a company needs to have reasonable cause to ask an employee to leave.
I subsequently wrote to the company to find out the reason for my termination, whether it was due to non-performance or something that I might have done that warranted such an action.
The reply I received was that 'contractually for termination of service or resignation from employment, either party is required to give one month's notice in writing or make payment of one month's salary in lieu thereof'.
So it had complied with the contractual obligations. This means that legally, it can terminate any employee's service anytime without having to give any reason.
In the past when McDonald's Singapore was a franchise, it showed compassion when it retrenched its employees, unless it was a case of dismissal.
It appears that McDonald's Singapore today, now owned by McDonald's Corporation in USA, would not hesitate to make use of a termination notice to remove its employees.
Employees are regarded as valuable assets for a company but if this is how valuable assets are treated, employees need to be wary of their vulnerability. This serves as a wakeup call.
I write to find out if this has become a common practice in other companies in Singapore, whether they have used this method to terminate the services of their old employees.
If there are others who face a similar predicament, perhaps they can write to share their experience. We can approach the Ministry of Manpower together to see if management employees can be given protection from companies which abuse the use of the termination notice.
Boon Geok Poh (Ms) -
Yes, I saw that too, but in another forum on Saturday. Glad that ST has chosen to publish the letter! Poor lady, I feel so sorry for her
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there are many cases already.
the first reported in the media was probably the one which the printer was paid one month in lieu for 8 years of service. no reason was given for the dismissal. -
going by the contract ....... loyalty is almost worthless ......
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loyalty is worthless...
do you notice a lot of retrenchments going on?
it usually precedes recruiting drives...
why pay a worker seniority when you can lose that person and pay someone junior a pittance..
it happens to everyone except the senior management.. who are the ones blissfully unaware of these things... but they are the cause of these things as they set unreasonable tasks and targets for their staff... and the Finance and HR sections are forced to do stuff like this...
we know of these unreasonable tasks and targets as "Stretched Targets"
if you somehow reach these "stretched targets" they become normal targets for you the next fiscal year..
happened to us... -
Izzit common to dump your wife and look for a young mistress?
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to lower maintenance cost?Originally posted by stellazio:Izzit common to dump your wife and look for a young mistress? -
Even though its sad, its a fact. Eler workers had lower productivity than those youngster, and they rcv high pays. Whereby a young worker gets much much less, and they r willing to work hard for their future or to get promoted... So wats there to blame. Juz pray hard everyday b4 going to work lor...
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actually, you'd be surprised..
older workers sometimes work harder and better.. higher productivity too
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i have worked with many young workers.
some are not focused. they sms, icq or whatnot during office hours.
it depends on the individual. -
but their salary is much higher than the young ones. Speed in learning for young is faster too.Originally posted by the Bear:actually, you'd be surprised..
older workers sometimes work harder and better.. higher productivity too -
much higher?
not these days..
thing is, you have to think about this: you have to TRAIN the new workers...
training is very expensive, and there will be a period where the young and inexperienced workers are still trying to figure things out... this is when mistakes happen...
that decreases productivity and quality...
but what the heck? the "management" doesn't care...
anyhow spend money for "training" goes into fulfilling their KPIs or stuff like that
and if you think about it, it gets more and more insane...Originally posted by jojoma:but their salary is much higher than the young ones. Speed in learning for young is faster too. -
speed in learning what? something that the older worker already know?Originally posted by jojoma:but their salary is much higher than the young ones. Speed in learning for young is faster too.
age is not a good reason to get rid of workers. everyone of us will grow old isnt it? so everyone one of us deserved to be sacked?