When Contract Workers Become the Real Lifters
If you thought your regular office crew was running on fumes, meet the contract crew – working just as hard but often left high and dry on perks. The MOM is stepping in to end the exploitation saga.
Leave Benefits That Don’t Suck
- Annual Leave – 7 days for the first year, plus 1 day for every year that follows, topping out at 14 days. If the contract is shorter than a year, prorate it. (If your boss is giving you just 7 days, she’s basically playing a pity game.)
- Sick Leave – at least 14 days, with a 60‑day option for hospital stays. If you’re sick and the job’s still on your plate, you’re not guaranteed a paycheck.
- Family Leave – maternity, paternity, adoption, childcare and extended childcare. Contract staff deserve the same family joys – not the “no benefits” nightmare.
One Contract, One Life
Some unscrupulous employers bite the trend of chopping contracts into tiny 3‑month slices. That’s a sham! If a new contract kicks in within a month of the old one ending, MOM says, treat it as a continuous contract. So, no loophole shenanigans – you’re one career, not a 30‑piece jigsaw puzzle.
Notice Periods – Because “Will I Be Gone?” Isn’t Fun
Stale employment anxiety is real. The new guidelines set a clear timeline:
- Below 26 weeks – 1‑day notice.
- 26 weeks to 2 years – 1-week notice.
- 2 to 5 years – 2‑week notice.
- Beyond 5 years – 4‑week notice.
Remember, “you’ll be there or you’ll just be days away” isn’t corporate jargon. The notice period framework wants everyone to head‑butt plans in time.
Bottom Line – Contract Worker Rights Checklist
- If the contract is ≥3 months, you’re entitled to leave perks.
- If the new contract starts within a month of the last one, it counts as one continuous tenure.
- For any contract >26 weeks, you deserve a fair notice period: 1 week for 26 weeks‑2 yrs, 2 weeks for 2‑5 yrs, and 4 weeks for 5 + yrs.
Have you ever worked as a contract employee? Drop your tale below and let us know if your employer ever played these rules like a prank.
— MoneySmart.SG (published under “Financial literacyjobsworkplace etiquette.”)
