Employers must justify dismissal itself, not just misconduct, Singapore tribunal suggests in medical claims case
Following the judiciary's move to publish selected Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT) decisions, JGP v JGQ [2026] SGECT 1 is the first to be accompanied by written grounds.
The employer conducted a group wide review of outpatient medical reimbursement claims after concerns arose as to potential misuse of its medical claims policy (MCP), particularly in relation to claims submitted at a specific clinic. The review identified a significant number of claims for items such as supplements, vitamins and skincare products which were not reimbursable under the MCP.
Given the scale of the review, the employer tiered employees based on the volume and value of claims, and directed those in higher tiers to attend disciplinary inquiries. Employees in these tiers were assessed to have engaged in serious misconduct, including acting intentionally, wilfully and/or dishonestly in submitting impermissible claims. Approximately 40 employees were dismissed following the disciplinary process.
Eight employees commenced claims under s 14(2) of the Employment Act. Six proceeded to trial and all succeeded. In setting out the written grounds, the Tribunal considered one claimant’s case as representative of the remaining claims.
The employer's case was that the pattern of claims — including repeated submissions, clustering just below non itemisation thresholds, and...
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