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I'm currently working as an "IT Executive" for a small private school in singapore.

I'm currently in a somewhat unusual arrangement with an employer - I interviewed at with them, with a recommendation from a friend of their director. When I asked about timings, I was told "come before 8" and "Its 44 hours a week".

So far, outside of an NDA, nothing's been signed. I've not really been given a clear idea of my timings (I just do 8-6.30 for now). HR's one person and giving me the runaround when I asked over the past 2 working days.

Otherwise, I seem to be working as per normal, outside the complete lack of onboarding. This feels odd. I've gotten a verbal agreement on a 3 month probation, but I've never been in a situation where I've started work without any formal agreement.

Outside of hounding HR. and my current, acting superior, what's the right way to deal with this?

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    Have you asked the HR for the offer letter? It is not clear from the question if you have done that. What did they say?
    – Masked Man
    May 11, 2017 at 1:07
  • Yeah, I've asked HR. HR says they're waiting on the CEO to confirm my job title
    – Aibobot
    May 11, 2017 at 1:14
  • Are you getting paid?
    – benathon
    May 11, 2017 at 1:44
  • In theory, yes - at the end of the month, as is customary here.
    – Aibobot
    May 11, 2017 at 1:52
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    Just to check, have you already started work without any offer letter or any contract, or are you looking to start?
    – berry120
    May 11, 2017 at 9:15

1 Answer 1

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A verbal offer is worth nothing.

Insist for a written offer, otherwise you could be told the wonderful sentence "I can't pay you this month since you're not an official employee" or something else. And since you didn't sign anything, you can't tell them they're wrong.

If no offer has been done after you tried to reach HR multiple times, you should tell them you can't work as long as no contract has been made since you have no job security.

Settle them for a contract and a real starting date, because your current situation seems like a big red flag waiting to happen.

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    "A verbal offer is not worth the paper it's written on."
    – Nolo Problemo
    May 12, 2017 at 21:05
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    Or he could email the HR guy reiterating his request, confirming the salary he agreed to, plus any terms that are important to him, and stating the fact that he has already started working for them. This way, he would be leaving a paper trail at least, assuming the HR guy acknowledges the receipt of that message without raising any objection.
    – Stephan Branczyk
    May 13, 2017 at 7:22
  • I kinda asked them how long my notice period would be, that this was mildly frustrating, and how long my notice period was... which did wonders. There's a few odd things (like a post dated contract and starting date) but more or less... things worked out for now. Its left me with a slightly negative view of how my workplace is run, but I'll get over it.
    – Aibobot
    May 15, 2017 at 6:03

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