Singapore Expats

Greetings!

I'd left my previous company a month ago. A week back, the HR personnel call me up, asking me to collect the pay cheque. However, he mentioned that SGD698 had to be deducted from my salary because they found a retail Vista Ultimate DVD is missing (only the DVD, original serial key and license still attached to the retail box), which is under my care previously.

I mentioned that i'd no idea how come it gone missing. if it's my fault, i'm ready to compensate the missing cd (which i plan to download the trial version and burn it to DVD, they can key in the original serial key during installation, anyway; or i can ask Microsoft to send me a copy by postal also, which cost around SGD40). But definately i'm not going to pay SGD698.

If they insist to deduct those amount, which party should i contact in order to show them what is the right way in doing things?

Regards,
Tyrl

Was it your responsibility? If so then you can't get away with just downloading and burning it.

Agreed, You're stuck.

You should have ensured all accounting was done before handing over your keys when you left. You should also have made sure that you has a signed document stating a full and complete handover had been done. Otherwise, this is a $698 lesson for you. Oh, if the CD was worth 698 (the retail price) then that's what you are gonna pay. They don't have to deduct it at cost value and it's their inventory so can treat it as stolen money at whatever the retail worth is. Rough lesson.

I do love it when you get all wordy and serious . . .

At the very least you should let microsoft know about it. Then if it indeed has been stolen, they can alert you/the company/the police if somebody else tries to authenticate it ( presuming it was already installed on your office PC and authenticated)
and
If it has been stolen from your place of work then you may make out a police report of the theft ( this idea might even "help" your employer to reconsider allocating the whole replacement cost to you! )

Whatever you do DONT download anything and offer it as a replacement. There's a whole can of worns attached to that, that you really don't want to open.

Good luck

Can I suggest 2 options:

1. If you they maintain you have to pay $698 - make sure you leave with the licence for the product as this is what you are paying the firm for.

2. Consider buying either a new or used copy (original disk) online i.e. ebay which should be cheaper than $698 - replace it rather than pay full amount. Also, make sure you walk away with original licence from the 'lost' version.

I actually think you have a reasonable gripe. $698 is for the licence - which the firm still have. The CD is worthless without the licence IMO.

I also think once you have paid and obtained tthe licence - then go to Microsoft and see if there is someway to find out if the licence is currently in use - I'll bet your old firm still have it installed. I would get them to uninstall it or make a copyright breach complaint - just to pi$$ them off.

Good Luck

rattlesnake wrote:Can I suggest 2 options:

1. If you they maintain you have to pay $698 - make sure you leave with the licence for the product as this is what you are paying the firm for.

2. Consider buying either a new or used copy (original disk) online i.e. ebay which should be cheaper than $698 - replace it rather than pay full amount. Also, make sure you walk away with original licence from the 'lost' version.

Great suggestions.

Leaving a Singaporean Company can be a minefield and some Employers get very spiteful even when they are the ones making the decision for you to leave. Good idea if you check up on everything else needed to close out your departure from that company. Remember things Expats assume are standard (holiday pay out, repatriation, etc) because of our strong home labor laws don't apply in Singapore and you will get exactly what is in your contract (and then some less if they can sneak it).

Loosing an employee is an opportunity for them to save on projected overheads/costs and they will try to limit that cost as much as possible like any of there business deals. Don't expect familiar faces and happy times to account for muhc either for as soon as you state you are leaving you are no longer part of thier family or 'responsibility'.

Bafana wrote:

rattlesnake wrote:Can I suggest 2 options:

1. If you they maintain you have to pay $698 - make sure you leave with the licence for the product as this is what you are paying the firm for.

2. Consider buying either a new or used copy (original disk) online i.e. ebay which should be cheaper than $698 - replace it rather than pay full amount. Also, make sure you walk away with original licence from the 'lost' version.

Great suggestions.

Thanks Bafana - I appreciate it.

rattlesnake wrote:Can I suggest 2 options:

1. If you they maintain you have to pay $698 - make sure you leave with the licence for the product as this is what you are paying the firm for.

2. Consider buying either a new or used copy (original disk) online i.e. ebay which should be cheaper than $698 - replace it rather than pay full amount. Also, make sure you walk away with original licence from the 'lost' version.

I actually think you have a reasonable gripe. $698 is for the licence - which the firm still have. The CD is worthless without the licence IMO.

I also think once you have paid and obtained tthe licence - then go to Microsoft and see if there is someway to find out if the licence is currently in use - I'll bet your old firm still have it installed. I would get them to uninstall it or make a copyright breach complaint - just to pi$$ them off.

Good Luck

Hello,

I agree with rattlesnake's suggestion/advice.

Just make sure that before you leave the company, you settle everything. I also hope that you wouldn't be paying that much because that money is hard earned by you.

tic.....toc.....tic.....toc.....


Franzel, you registered with a Philadelphia IP address just to make one post and to say that? And already got a link in your signature?

There's a pong on this one.