A friend recently shared her frustration with me. She had been carrying the bulk of the workload in her company while her general manager basked in the recognition. When she finally reached her breaking point and tried to resign, her manager dismissed her request with a sharp remark: “You’re leaving when I’m leaving.” It sounded outrageous, but it echoed a question I had just seen debated online: Can a company in Singapore actually refuse a resignation, particularly when an employee offers to buy out their notice period?
On Reddit, one employee described being burned out and unable to cope with new management, yet afraid their employer might block their resignation. The responses were telling. One commenter wrote, “I called MOM because I was afraid my previous company would reject my buyout. It turns out that under the Employment Act you can either serve notice or buy yourself out with compensation.” Another added, “You are always allowed to walk out the door, but you have to offer compensation in accordance with your contract.” A third cut to the chase: “No, they cannot reject your buyout. If they could, that would be akin to slavery or forced labor.”
The law leaves little room for doubt. Under Singapore’s Employment Act, employees may resign at any time, either by serving the notice period in their contract or by paying their employer an amount equivalent to that notice. Employers have no legal right to reject a resignation or prevent an employee from leaving. In fact, the Ministry of Manpower makes it clear that it is an offence for an employer to disallow an employee from resigning.
Still, not every departure is clean. There are situations where an employee feels cornered into resigning, which raises the issue of wrongful dismissal. Singapore’s guidelines define wrongful dismissal as cases involving discrimination (e.g., age, race, gender, or religion) or retaliation against employees for exercising their rights. In such circumstances, employees can seek mediation through the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management or file a claim with the Employment Claims Tribunals.
For those preparing to resign, the most effective approach is to understand your contract and assert your rights. Submitting a formal resignation letter that states your final day of employment reduces ambiguity. Remaining professional, transparent, and courteous may ease the process, but ultimately, the decision to leave is yours to make. If harassment or threats surface, documenting every incident and consulting legal advice ensures you protect yourself.
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Resignation is not a privilege an employer grants. It is a right protected by law. The real challenge is not whether you are allowed to leave, but whether you manage the transition in a way that allows you to move forward on your own terms.
