TADM Employment Claims 2026: What the 2025 Report Means for Employers of Foreign Staff

Short answer: MOM and TADM report that salary claims rose to 2.84 per 1,000 employees in 2025 and wrongful dismissal claims to 0.57, driven by restructuring and closures. Most claims settle at mediation, but employers who do not pay in full risk prosecution and curbs on hiring foreign staff. Payslips and written key employment terms are the best defence.

This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. For matters needing legal advice, we work with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms.

TADM employment claims 2026 is a phrase HR teams are now searching for because the latest official data shows claims rising for the first time in a while, and foreign employees are among the people who use the system. TADM is the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, the body that advises on and mediates employment disputes before they reach the ECT. This article reads the Employment Standards Report 2025, which MOM and TADM released on 24 July 2026, from the point of view of an employer with work pass holders on the payroll. For the filing mechanics from the employee side, see our guide to the Employment Claims Tribunal salary claim.

What do the 2025 figures mean for TADM employment claims 2026?

Claims went up on every headline measure. MOM and TADM link the rise to business reorganisation, retrenchments and closures in 2025 rather than to widespread non-compliance with employment rules.

Measure (per 1,000 employees)	2024	2025
Employment claims and appeals, overall	3.12	3.44
Salary claims	2.63	2.84
Wrongful dismissal claims	0.46	0.57

The same press release gives the resolution picture. More than 80% of employment claims were resolved at TADM. For salary claims, 88% were resolved at TADM and the remaining 12% were referred to the ECT for adjudication. For wrongful dismissal, 67% were resolved at TADM and 33% went to the ECT. In 65% of the wrongful dismissal cases, the employer was found to have met its contractual or statutory obligations, or the claim was withdrawn after mediation.

Two points matter for employers. First, rates are measured per 1,000 employees, so a larger workforce does not by itself raise your risk; what raises it is a restructuring year with exits, notice disputes and unpaid final pay. Second, the report is about all employees covered by the system, not only foreigners. The press release does not split the figures by work pass type, so no one can say from it that foreign employees file more or less often than locals.

Why do salary and dismissal claims rise in a restructuring year?

Claims rise when jobs end, because the final month is where disputes concentrate. MOM and TADM tie the 2025 increase to higher dismissals, retrenchments and business closures.

In a retrenchment the final salary, salary in lieu of notice and any retrenchment benefit all fall due at once, and each can be disputed. TADM has published a 2026 case of a foreign worker who filed a salary claim, was issued a Special Pass to stay while the claim was reviewed, and received a Change of Employer letter so he could look for other work. The case went through three mediation sessions without agreement and was then referred to the ECT, which ruled for the worker, after which the employer paid in full.

If you are planning a reduction in headcount, read our notes on how to conduct a fair retrenchment without triggering a TADM claim and on mandatory retrenchment notification.

How does a foreign employee file a claim with TADM?

A foreign employee files the same way as any other covered employee, online through TADM eServices with Singpass. TADM’s page for employees says all employees may file except seafarers, domestic workers, statutory board employees and civil servants.

The page does not single out foreign employees, so a work pass holder is covered in the same way as a local employee. The steps, as TADM sets them out, are:

1. File online through Singpass, with the employer’s details, employment dates, occupation and monthly salary ready.
2. Upload supporting documents such as the employment contract or key employment terms, salary payment records, CPF statements where available, and any termination or resignation letter.
3. Pay the non-refundable filing fee within 3 days of filing: S$10 for claims of S$10,000 or less and S$20 for claims above S$10,000. A claim is only filed once payment is received.
4. Expect an email from TADM about next steps within 3 working days of payment.

TADM also runs an “Ask TADM” chatbot and advisory appointments. One more filing rule matters to employers in distress: TADM says not to file with it if the company is in bankruptcy, judicial management or liquidation, and to approach the Insolvency Office, the judicial manager or the liquidator instead.

What time limits and caps apply to TADM employment claims in 2026?

Time limits are short and caps are modest. A wrongful dismissal claim must be filed within 1 month of the last day of work, and a salary claim within 6 months of the last day if the employee has left.

Type of claim	Filing limit	Notes
Salary claim, employee has left	6 months from the last day of work	Per TADM and MOM
Salary claim, employee still employed	1 year after the dispute arose	Per TADM and MOM
Wrongful dismissal	1 month from the last day of work	2 months from the child’s birth for a pregnant employee with unpaid maternity benefits
Claim cap, non-union	S$20,000 per claim	Combined salary and dismissal limit of S$40,000
Claim cap, union-assisted	S$30,000 per claim	Combined limit of S$60,000

MOM adds that any amount above the cap must be forgone to enter a settlement agreement or to have the case heard by the ECT. Employers can use the ECT too: MOM lists claims for salary in lieu of notice as a claim an employer may bring. The employer’s side of the tribunal is covered in our guide to the role of the Employment Claims Tribunal for employers.

What happens at TADM mediation, and what if it fails?

Mediation is the main route and the compulsory first step. The Singapore Courts state that mediation at TADM is compulsory before a claim can be filed at the ECT.

If the parties settle, the outcome is recorded in a settlement agreement under the Employment Claims Act. MOM’s reply to a parliamentary question on 7 April 2026 explains that a settlement agreement registered with the District Court becomes enforceable as a court order, so a missed instalment is not a private matter: the employee can ask TADM to engage the employer and can get advice on applying to the courts to enforce. If the dispute is not resolved, TADM issues a claim referral certificate and the employee may file at the ECT; the courts say the ECT can be used only with that certificate.

The same reply gives the recovery record for the previous report. Of salary claims lodged with TADM in the Employment Standards Report 2024, 94% of claimants fully recovered their salaries, 4% recovered partially through security bond insurers, main contractors or financial assistance, and 2% did not recover, mainly higher-income earners. For 2025, MOM says more than 90% of salary claimants fully recovered their salaries and payments at TADM and the ECT.

1. The employee files at TADM and pays the fee.
2. TADM contacts both sides and schedules mediation.
3. If agreed, a settlement agreement is signed and can be registered with the District Court.
4. If not agreed, a claim referral certificate is issued and the employee may file at the ECT.
5. The ECT adjudicates; non-payment of an order can be enforced through the courts.

What are the penalties for employers who do not pay salary?

Non-payment of salary is an offence. MOM says it will investigate and may respond with warnings, composition fines or prosecution, and it curtails access to foreign manpower for employers who do not fully pay salaries.

The April 2026 parliamentary reply sets out the court penalties under the Employment Act: a first offence carries a fine of up to S$15,000, imprisonment of up to 6 months, or both, and a repeat offence a fine of up to S$30,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both. The reply also lists debarment from applying for work passes as a possible consequence. The July 2026 press release reminds employers of their obligations under both the Employment Act and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

The enforcement figure that should reassure good-faith employers is the small share of wilful cases: less than 1% of 2025 salary claims involved employers who wilfully refused to pay in full despite being able to pay. A late payment with a documented reason and a quick cure sits very differently from a refusal. Our remediation sequence for late salary payments sets out the steps.

How can employers prevent claims with payslips and key employment terms?

Pay on time, issue itemised payslips and put the key employment terms in writing within 14 days of the start date. These three records answer most salary claims before they begin.

Obligation	Rule per MOM
Salary payment	At least once a month, within 7 days after the end of the salary period
Overtime pay	Within 14 days after the end of the salary period
Final salary, employee resigns with notice	On the last day of employment
Final salary, employer terminates	On the last day, or within 3 working days if that is not possible
Foreign employee leaving	Employer may withhold monies due for up to 30 days for tax clearance
Itemised payslip	With the payment, or within 3 working days after it; with the final salary on termination
Payslip records	Keep the last 2 years for current employees; for former employees, keep until 1 year after they leave
Key employment terms	Written, within 14 days of the start of employment

MOM’s payslip page lists twelve items a payslip must carry where they apply: the employer’s and employee’s full names, the payment date, basic salary, the salary period dates, allowances, other additional payments such as bonuses and public holiday pay, deductions, overtime hours, overtime pay, the overtime period dates if different, and the total net salary paid. Its KET page lists 18 items, from job title and main duties to the probation and notice periods. For a worked comparison of the two documents, see our guide to key employment terms and itemised payslips.

Keep the signed KETs, every payslip and proof of each bank transfer on file. Employees keep their own evidence too; our note on the salary evidence file shows what a claimant brings to TADM, and it is the same list an employer should be able to match.

What should an employer do on receiving a TADM notice?

Treat it as a dated task. Pull the payroll and contract file the same day and decide before mediation whether any amount is owed.

1. Note the claim type and the dates: last day of work, filing date and the amount claimed against the caps above.
2. Reconcile the claim line by line against payslips, bank transfers and the KETs.
3. Pay any amount that is plainly due before the session; paying an undisputed sum early narrows the case.
4. For a contested amount, prepare a one-page chronology with documents attached.
5. Attend mediation with someone who can agree a figure. Settlement terms are recorded as a settlement agreement, and a missed payment can be enforced as a court order once registered.
6. Diarise payment dates for any instalment plan.

Frequently asked questions

Are TADM employment claims rising in 2026?

The 2025 figures, published on 24 July 2026, show overall employment claims and appeals rising to 3.44 per 1,000 employees from 3.12. MOM and TADM attribute the rise to business restructuring, retrenchments and closures. The report covers 2025, not a full year of 2026 data.

How long does an employer have to give a final payslip?

On termination or dismissal, MOM says the payslip is given together with any outstanding salary. In other cases it is given with payment or within 3 working days of payment.

Can an employer withhold a foreign employee’s final pay?

MOM states that for foreign employees leaving a job, the employer may withhold monies due for up to 30 days for tax clearance. Withholding for any other reason is a matter for legal advice, since non-payment of salary is an offence.

Where do I read the official report?

MOM’s press release is on the MOM newsroom. TADM explains filing on its employee claim page, and MOM’s paying salary page sets out payment timing. For employer deductions on salary, our sister site covers when an employer may deduct or recover monies from salary.

Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency.