{
  "id": 57937,
  "title": "askST Jobs: I’ve been told to sign an NDA before I can get my retrenchment payout. What should I do?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/askst-jobs-ive-been-told-to-sign-an-nda-before-i-can-get-my-57937",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-02T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times Business",
    "slug": "straits-times-business",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/askst-jobs-ive-been-told-to-sign-an-nda-before-i-can-get-my-retrenchment-payout-what-should-i-do"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Employees facing demands to sign an NDA before receiving retrenchment payments should first negotiate more time if the deadline feels rushed. They should also request a detailed breakdown of their payout to identify what obligations are contractually or statutorily owed. Typically, these include notice pay, salary up to the termination date, and unused annual leave. Retrenchment benefits, however, are discretionary payments not mandatory under Singapore law and are often offered as goodwill gestures to encourage signing. Before signing, employees must carefully review the NDA to understand the obligations they would be agreeing to. Employers commonly ask employees to waive confidentiality and non-disparagement obligations, and may introduce new or expanded obligations. Employees should compare these against their current employment contract, especially focusing on non-compete clauses and post-termination obligations. They should also check if the NDA prevents legitimate disclosures, such as to their lawyer, family, or authorities. If the NDA appears overly restrictive or ambiguous, employees should seek independent legal advice before signing. It is crucial the NDA does not infringe on an employee's right to seek union or legal advice, or to inform unions or authorities about the retrenchment.",
  "summary": "Experts say employees should not rush to sign NDAs before seeking advice and reviewing the terms.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times",
        "title": "askST Jobs: I’ve been told to sign an NDA before I can get my retrenchment payout. What should I do?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/askst-jobs-ive-been-told-to-sign-an-nda-before-i-can-get-my",
        "published": "2026-08-02T21:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}