terminated from work due to depression

Deathnovember- SG

Hi all.

[imdestinyz] SG

oh man... i empathise with you... work place bully can really get quite bad at times.

Whats more impt is so now that such things have happened, what do u intend to do about it?

Deathnovember- SG

I contacted mom, told me that they can't intervene in this situation.. For now I've no idea what to do next;(

[imdestinyz] SG

clear the debt, take a short rest, change ur job, ensure u recover fast!

jgho83 SG

I heard of cases worst than you and he managed to recover from it. If you owe them money, so be it. Tell them you pay them back once you secure a new job. Just treat this as an expensive life learning lesson?

jojobeach SG

Hi all.

I think you need to re-read the contract.

If I am not wrong, your medical expenses should be covered by the company.

Since the company appointed the doctor , and the doctor certified you to be unfit.. you should be able to seek a bond waiver.

You are not in the best mental condition right now to deal with your company, I suggest you seek help/advise from someone else who has better understanding of your rights and entitlements.

The HR department should be ashame of what they are doing. It is unscrupulous to take advantage of someone who is certified with psychological disadvantage.

I suggest you escalate your predicament to higher management.

It seems likely you got stonewalled by low level HR officers.

If there's truly abuse or bullying by any of the crews, HR or their respective managers should investigate instead of simply "weeding" out the "weaker" crews.

I don't know how much is the penalty or "bond" money.. but the HR must be quite stupid to think you will be able to pay back after knowing of your condition and cutting off your future income...

Angjaydyn SG

heal yourself and start over again :)

M the name SG

SURVIVING

OFFICE POLITICS

At Your New Job

Not getting along in the new workplace? Deal with it once and for all. By Simone Emmons

Whether you are just starting your first job or your tenth, you will find that office politics are consistent across different workplaces. It is something that is inherent in most companies you may happen to work for. It's part and parcel of life and you won't be able to avoid it. So just how do you survive office politics and still make your talent shine through? Simple, you need to market your talent constantly, just as you did during the interview that got you the job.

Support & Respect

You should focus on fitting in with the scheme of things around the office. Be friendly and outgoing, and offer support to your co-workers and management if possible, while avoiding unnecessary gossip and backbiting. The management and your peers will soon take notice of you if you strive to win their support and respect.

Letting It Be Known

Don't be afraid to toot your own horn to management. Don't assume that they should know what you do all day. They have their own agenda and may not take notice of the things that you do; many accomplishment may go unnoticed - rally support and leave a lasting impression to everyone.

Show Your Worth - And More

It's ok to offer to take on additional responsibilities, but only do so if you have the time or someone else hasn't stepped up to the plate. Don't bite off more than you can chew, as it might backfire and make you look incompetent. The trick is to show that you are worth more and soon you will not only fit in, but also come to be relied on for more important assignments. You will then be a player in the game of office politics, and no longer an outsider looking in. An increase in responsibilities usually means a raise in pay as well.

Criticisms For Growth

Playing the game of office politics well can lead to many rewards in your career. In addition to fitting in and getting personal recognition when an opportunity presents itself, you also need to be able to accept constructive criticism well. Never take it personally, as it might sabotage any chance you have of becoming part of a group.

Know your limitations, toot your own horn, play by the rules, make your talents shine and above all, respect yourself and those around you. Remember that you will not be able to please everyone all of the time. But please those that count, those in authority and those who you work closely, and you'll have won half the battle. Be subtle, make the transition as seamless as possible and make yourself useful. Only then will you have a chance at winning the war.It is the most reliable way to survive office politics in any company. PW

Office Politics

How To Win The War

It's a pervasive thing in the workplace. In its most basic form, office politics are simply about the differences between people at work - differences in opinions, conflicts of interests, etc. It all boils down down to human communication and relationships

If you have no other choice but to play the game, here are some suggestions for you to consider.

BE OPTIMISTIC

Think positive and get advice from the higher-ups. Let them be your mentor and they will be more likely to be on your side when push comes to shove.

BE KIND

Kindness pays in the long run. Simply helping out your co-worker at the most opportune moment, converts him as your much-needed ally in time of need.

BE OPEN

Make sure everyone knows you worked at it. Keep everyone in the loop, especially your boss to ensure that a rival doesn't bag the credit for all the hard work and long hours you put in.

BE ATTENTIVE

Practise self-awareness. Keep your ears and eyes peeled for possible saboteurs. If you know of one, get feedback from a supporter on what's happening. Respond to the threat preferably in front of others, preferably with a large dose of humour. Alternatively, if you'd rather confront the person on the quiet, you might want to ask: "You seem to be annoyed with me, can you let me know if there's something I have done to offend you? Your feedback is important to me."

BE APPROACHABLE

Network before you need to network by being approachable all the time. Being good at politics means that you are good at relationship building, and you can count on a wide range of people when you need them.

Just doing your job is not enough. You need to do it in a way that makes a positive impression on everyone else. Chances are, if you stay on the positive track, you'll be happier with the outcome in the office.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Simone Emmons is a Human Resources professional of 18 years and founder of www.Hispanic-Job.com & www.Asian-Jobs.com

Parentworld Issue 36 Jan-Feb 2013, Pg 118-119

M the name SG

Fair Employment at Work

Resources and recourse available to address discrimination at work

Today, discriminatory race criteria in job ads published in Singapore are almost never seen. This is a huge improvement compared to the 1990s, when one third of all job ads had a race requirement.

• For the last few years, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) has been actively promoting the adoption of fair and non-discriminatory employment practices.

• Employers know that discrimination in Singapore is unacceptable and there is a set of Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices that all employers operating in Singapore need to follow.

• A key principle is that candidates should be considered on the basis of merit (such as skills, experience or ability to do the job) and not age, race, gender, religion, family status or disability.

• The real challenge in addressing workplace discrimination is changing mindsets and helping employers understand how adopting fair and inclusive employment practices will benefit their business.

WHO CAN I TURN TO?

Emplyees and jobseekers who have experienced work related discrimination, can call TAFEP at 68380969 for advice and assistance.

All information shared with TAFEP is treated in strict confidence. Depending on the nature of the complaint, TAFEP will contact the employer to hear their side of what had happened.

Reference will be made to the principles in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices when addressing complaints alleging unfair employment practices.

HIRING AND DEVELOPING A SINGAPOREAN CORE

On 31 Oct 2011, the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Empolyment Practices were enhanced to include a section on "Hiring and Developing a Singaporean Core".

• Employers are expected to make reasonable efforts to attract and consider Singaporeans for job positions based on merit, and to train and develop their potential and careers.

• Some examples of reasonable efforts include working with educational institutions, career centres and recruitment agencies to hire Singaporean, ensuring that all jobs advertised are open to Singaporean, and developing the skills and expertise of Singaporeans for higher level jobs.

• Words or phrases that exclude Singaporeans or indicate preference for non-Singaporeans should not be used in job advertisements.

Employers who want to learn more about the enhanced guidelines are encouraged to contact TAFEP and sign up for the next complimentary briefing (priority will be given to employers who have pledged their support for fair employment).

EXPRESSING PREFERENCE FOR NON-SINGAPOREANS IS UNACCEPTABLE

A hotel had posted an online job advertisment for PRC nationals to fill regional sales managerial positions based in Singapore. TAFEP contacted the hotel to highlight that the ad was discriminatory against Singaporean and not in compliance with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. The Ministry of Manpower also issued a warning to the hotel, reiterating that companies are expected to comply with the Fair Employment Guidelines. Acknowledging its mistake, the hotel made an unreserved apology online, including on the online job board where the ad appeared. The hotel's HR has since updated its procedures to ensure that all future ads comply with the Guidelines.

_______________________________________________________________________

HIRE ON MERIT, NOT AGE

TAFEP was alerted to a job advertisement of a popular fast food outlet that specified job applicants should be between 19 to 30 years of age. When approached, the firm explained to TAFEP that its needs were for a "trainee manager". The employer was concerned that older candidates would be over-qualified for this relatively junior position. After discussing with TAFEP, the employer realised it made more sense to assess candidates based on their ability and willingness to do the actual work, rather than using the candidate's age as a proxy for suitability. TAFEP also highlighted that the turnover among those hired when they were older may be lower than that of some of the younger new hires. The firm agreed to change the job ad and its selection criteria in line with the Tripartite Guideless on Fair Employment Practices.

Individuals who have encountered work-related discrimination may approach TAFEP for advice and assistance. Employers may also contact TAFEP for assistance to enhance their employment practices.

TEL 68380969

EMAIL [email protected]

WEB www.tafep.sg

Information shared with TAFEP is treated in strict confidence.

Deathnovember- SG

omg this is so helpful! I hope TAFEP will be able to help me on this. thank you:)

troublemaker2005 SG

they can build up silly reasons of their own (subjected to your own review or with authorities eg. lawyer, your legal consultant, MOM etc) and ask you to leave terminate you without paying your slary in lieu. but they cannot ask you to pay back them anything if you have not intentionally damage, cssue certain losses to their business not due to mischief, hatred ot selling out to other company.

dont pay them and consult MOM with all proves. they should have send you to pre-employment medicl checkup to review your health statsu for your job scope to see if fit or not. then epriodically do medical review if need to. otherwise if they never do that and in the contract letter o employment never satte so cannot anyhow ask people to pay back money.

no contractual jobs do that, only jobs that are bonded.

speakoutfor SG

How come this Dr Lee can diagnose you as depressive? He is not even a psychiatrist, he is just a GP.

Yeah its true, airlines got a lot of workplace bullying particularly the stewardess. Lots of behind the scenes sexual harassment.

I know you are under a lot of stress but taking a lot of MCs is ground for sacking and underperformance. You work for SIA? Gosh, SIA have strict guidelines.

I am just curious as to how you ended up as a flight attendant when you have a fear of flying. Next time please choose the job or career that you like and have no phobia.