Payslips, allowances, sti's

[Fortan]

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and he has applied for a job here in Singapore. The company hiring has asked him to provide:

- Payslips for the last 6 months.
- Proof of allowances for the last 6 months.
- Proof of short term and long term incentives paid out over the last 3 years.

My friend, who is also Danish have the data available but the laws in Denmark doesn't give hiring companies the right to ask for this personal data/information, so he is reluctant to provide it.

As I didn't know the answer, I will ask his question here for him: Is he required to provide this information to a hiring company in Singapore or is there any laws about this? If there isn't any laws about it they can of course ask what they want and he can provide it - or not and if he refuses they can of course refuse to hire him.

I know when I was hired here the company I am working for didn't ask for ANYTHING in that regard, so it is obviously different from company to company.

Just wondering if anybody on here would know?

[the lynx]

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and he has applied for a job here in Singapore. The company hiring has asked him to provide:

- Payslips for the last 6 months.
- Proof of allowances for the last 6 months.
- Proof of short term and long term incentives paid out over the last 3 years.

My friend, who is also Danish have the data available but the laws in Denmark doesn't give hiring companies the right to ask for this personal data/information, so he is reluctant to provide it.

As I didn't know the answer, I will ask his question here for him: Is he required to provide this information to a hiring company in Singapore or is there any laws about this? If there isn't any laws about it they can of course ask what they want and he can provide it - or not and if he refuses they can of course refuse to hire him.

I know when I was hired here the company I am working for didn't ask for ANYTHING in that regard, so it is obviously different from company to company.

Just wondering if anybody on here would know?

I personally hate this system. The employers will have the upper hand of hiring you with the salary that is adjusted to your previous salary, and not because this is what you really are worth for.

My company did this to me when I first joined. Luckily I only had to provide the proof AFTER I was hired and had my EP issued so the salary and benefits negotiation with the hiring manager had already occurred by that time, although I was still asked about my previous salary during the interview. Still miffed by it till now.

[Fortan]

So they are allowed to ask? In my home country they are not allowed to ask. None of their business really.

[the lynx]

So they are allowed to ask? In my home country they are not allowed to ask. None of their business really.

Unfortunately yes. There is no law prohibiting them from doing so.

[Fortan]

So they are allowed to ask? In my home country they are not allowed to ask. None of their business really.

Unfortunately yes. There is no law prohibiting them from doing so.

My friend was under the same impression as you. Why would I want to deliver that information. They will use it to adjust my salary according to previous jobs. Will be interesting to see if he chooses to tell them to go do one.

[Strong Eagle]

The bottom line is: How bad does your friend need the job?

My response would be: Do you want to hire me? How much are you willing to offer me? When you have made me a written offer I will gladly provide you with past employment payment history.

Otherwise... FOAD!

[Fortan]

The bottom line is: How bad does your friend need the job?

My response would be: Do you want to hire me? How much are you willing to offer me? When you have made me a written offer I will gladly provide you with past employment payment history.

Otherwise... FOAD!

He is not in urgent need but as he said to me, it is an interesting company and the job is a great challenge…. I'll let you know what he chooses and what the outcome will be.

[x9200]

You assume that typical HRs in this country are some sort of reasonable bodies with their main focus to make their company successful. I believe hardly any local but also MNC company as per their hiring oncepts/perception needs to employ somebody more desperately than to stick to their own SOP. Moreover, how much they are going to pay is most often more important than the candidate's qualities.

In other words desperate or not, your friend, them, both, he may just get rejected simply by not fulfilling their requirements and nobody will give a *beep* if this is reasonable or good for the company, or he is worth this money etc etc.

[Strong Eagle]

You assume that typical HRs in this country are some sort of reasonable bodies with their main focus to make their company successful. I believe hardly any local but also MNC company as per their hiring oncepts/perception needs to employ somebody more desperately than to stick to their own SOP. Moreover, how much they are going to pay is most often more important than the candidate's qualities.

In other words desperate or not, your friend, them, both, he may just get rejected simply by not fulfilling their requirements and nobody will give a *beep* if this is reasonable or good for the company, or he is worth this money etc etc.

In that case, make up whatever numbers you want because no other company will willingly release their compensation records.

[x9200]

You assume that typical HRs in this country are some sort of reasonable bodies with their main focus to make their company successful. I believe hardly any local but also MNC company as per their hiring oncepts/perception needs to employ somebody more desperately than to stick to their own SOP. Moreover, how much they are going to pay is most often more important than the candidate's qualities.

In other words desperate or not, your friend, them, both, he may just get rejected simply by not fulfilling their requirements and nobody will give a *beep* if this is reasonable or good for the company, or he is worth this money etc etc.

In that case, make up whatever numbers you want because no other company will willingly release their compensation records.

True, but in many cases this would require falsification of the documents. Still I think it is pretty fair (in this particular case) and the only risk is to be fired. I don't see the company would have any legal case.

[PNGMK]

I never take a job where this is asked. I also write the MD / CEO and explain why.

[Sergei82]

I never take a job where this is asked. I also write the MD / CEO and explain why.

I've never seen any job in Singapore where this was not asked.

[beppi]

Once, when a Singapore HR lady asked me for my previous salary and I said that I signed to keep it confidential, she asked me, with a completely innocent smile: "But then, how are we supposed to determine what to pay you?"
HR people in Singapore aren't normally the smartest, so I refrained from explaining to her how free market forces work ...

[zzm9980]

I never take a job where this is asked. I also write the MD / CEO and explain why.

I've never seen any job in Singapore where this was not asked.

The two jobs I worked did not require this.

[zzm9980]

Once, when a Singapore HR lady asked me for my previous salary and I said that I signed to keep it confidential, she asked me, with a completely innocent smile: "But then, how are we supposed to determine what to pay you?"
HR people in Singapore aren't normally the smartest, so I refrained from explaining to her how free market forces work ...

That's exactly what I would do if I were asked. I've never been desperate enough for a job though where I'd have to reconsider my stance on this.