A recent court case drew attention when an employee, who was also in a personal relationship with his employer, successfully claimed over S$82,000 in unpaid salary.
The judgment was straightforward: a fixed-term employment contract was binding, and unilateral changes to pay were invalid.
At one level, this was a clear contract law dispute. The court enforced obligations as written.
Yet, beneath the legal reasoning lie deeper questions about workplace dynamics, conflicts of interest, and fairness.
When professional and personal relationships overlap, risks intensify, power imbalances, blurred accountability, and perceptions of bias all come into play. Even if no discrimination is alleged, the absence of fairness can quickly erode trust.
This is where contract law and workplace fairness intersect:
⚖ Contracts enforce obligations and protect legal rights.
🤝 Fairness frameworks build trust, safeguard impartiality, and promote transparency.
One without the other is incomplete. Contracts secure compliance, but fairness sustains credibility.
Ignoring either exposes organizations to reputational, legal, and cultural risks.
The lesson is clear: a resilient workplace needs both legal structure and human fairness.
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