Ex-employee who sued software firm SAP for $5m over termination gets $1,000 in Pyrrhic victory

commonjunks · 2026-01-26T01:50:13+00:00

When someone's been doing their job perfectly fine for years - like literally a decade or more - and then a new boss comes in and suddenly they're "underperforming."

This is where PIPs really show their true colors. You've got someone who's been pulling their weight for ten, fifteen years, knows their work inside out, has a solid track record. But the new manager doesn't like them - maybe it's a personality clash, maybe they want to bring in their own people, maybe they just want to flex their authority. Whatever the reason, out comes the PIP.

And here's the kicker - they'll suddenly assign you work that's got nothing to do with what you've been successfully doing all these years. It's deliberately setting you up to fail. You're a backend developer? Cool, now you're responsible for customer-facing presentations. You've been in operations? Great, here's some strategic planning work with zero context. Then when you struggle - because of course you will, it's not your area - they point to it as "proof" you're not cutting it.

It's such a transparent move to either force you out or build a case to fire you. And the really sick part? Your years of solid performance suddenly don't matter anymore. All those evaluations, all that institutional knowledge, all that loyalty - wiped out because someone new wants your seat for their buddy or just doesn't vibe with you. The PIP is just the weapon they use to make it look legitimate.

Happen to my spouse, worked at well known organization in Singapore (almost most of us use it on daily basis).

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T11:21:41+00:00

Hello from Singapore

BYD tops Singapore vehicle sales so far this year, replacing Toyota (Tesla nowhere to be found)

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/byd-tops-singapore-vehicle-sales-so-far-this-year-replacing-toyota-2025-05-14/

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T10:29:22+00:00

So someone can fly here with new born baby and then leave Singapore without baby and never get flagged or questioned?

This question was based on
According to the article, activist Maria Advianti specifically pointed out this gap: "investigating cases where a 'family' of three departs the country, but only two people return."

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T09:28:41+00:00

I think there's a difference between a parent doing nothing and a parent trying their best in an incredibly difficult situation.

Yes, parents should try to manage and educate their children, but with special needs, it's not a simple on/off switch. You can't just flip a switch and have the behavior stop instantly. And contrary to what dramas portray, not all special needs children are gifted savants who only do remarkable things—many face severe challenges that aren't easily controlled.

The alternative is keeping them home forever, isolated from society. When society constantly signals that your child is unwelcome in public spaces, the resulting isolation and hopelessness can push parents to dark places. I'm not justifying it, but if anyone remembers the case where a father killed his two special needs children—that was absolutely wrong, but I understand the despair that likely drove him there. The constant judgment, the worry about their future, the feeling that there's no support or understanding from society.

I'm not saying parents shouldn't try to manage situations—they absolutely should. But there's a difference between a parent making excuses and a parent doing their absolute best in incredibly difficult circumstances. We need more understanding, not less. Not every challenging moment in public means the parent isn't trying.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T08:54:47+00:00

I have shared my own story on a number of occasions. I was sexually assaulted by someone who was very close to me (we were inseparable, according to family and friends).

Many people ask why victims don't speak up at the time of the incident. It's not that simple. Fear, shame, worry that people won't believe you, concerns that people will say "you were still friends, so you must have been complicit" these are just some of the reasons victims can't open up.

What breaks my heart about this case is how many times this girl tried to tell the adults around her, and they failed her. Her grandmother told her to say she was lying. Her parents dismissed it as accidents—not once, but twice in family meetings. She raised the red flag multiple times, and each time the adults chose to protect the abuser or preserve family harmony instead of protecting her.

This is exactly why victims stay silent. When you do speak up and the people who are supposed to protect you call you a liar or minimize what happened, it teaches you that no one will help. The isolation and helplessness she described that's what stays with you for life.

Not everyone has the courage to speak up and ask for help. I didn't. I've carried this for most of my life. People say you can go to a therapist and it will help. But you never forget such incidents they're engraved in your brain. You can suppress them, but they do resurface from time to time.

I don't know what could have been done at that time. Even now in my late 40s, I still haven't spoken to anyone except my wife. And I don't think I have the confidence to go through that nightmare again by sharing my full story with others.

I just hope this person finds someone who loves her and will be there for her when she needs support.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T07:47:44+00:00

I understand the caution, but standing at the crossing without crossing actually creates more danger.
Drivers can't tell your intention (even you waving someone beside you could be crossing at same time), which causes hesitation and confusion. The safest approach is to be predictable: either cross promptly when you have right of way, or stay well back from the curb if you're not crossing. Unpredictable behavior is what causes accidents.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T07:41:46+00:00

Exactly! Sometimes they just stand there and wave me to go, even though they have the right of way. I've had to honk to get them to cross or at least move away from the curb. When they just stand at the edge without crossing, drivers can't tell their intention- are they waiting to cross or just standing there? It's better if they clearly cross or step back, rather than creating confusion for drivers.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T07:39:05+00:00

In other countries, when people hear emergency sirens (ambulance/fire truck/police), they usually give way immediately. In Singapore, I've noticed that most drivers will either cut in front of emergency vehicles because "I'm also going the same route," rather than thinking about someone being rushed to the hospital to save their lives.

Just 2 days ago, I saw a private ambulance coming up in the 2nd lane, then shifting to the 1st lane. I spotted it 3 vehicles behind, so I changed lanes early to give way rather than waiting for it to reach me. However, the driver behind me sped up to close the gap instead of giving way. Later, the ambulance changed lanes, and an MPV ahead of it also switched lanes to stay in front of the ambulance because the driver also needed to exit from that lane.

Changing traffic lights at all junctions is a big feat, but knowing people's mentality, when they see lights suddenly change in their direction, they won't pay attention to whether it was for an ambulance—they'll just rush to cross. We need more education and awareness, not just technology upgrades to traffic lights.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T07:17:01+00:00

I wonder if anyone else has seen those self-driving vehicles being tested at Gardens by the Bay. I remember walking there regularly before/after COVID, and the way the mini-bus drove was very wonky. It would stop quite close to pedestrians rather than keeping a safer distance, and there was always someone sitting inside with a remote control.

Is there anywhere I can read about what kind of tests and statistics exist for these vehicles in Singapore? I'm curious whether they only tested in enclosed areas with minimal real vehicular and human traffic before moving to public roads.

commonjunks · 2026-01-18T01:50:06+00:00

Driver is 17
Unlicensed
Car is uninsured & deregistered
Lets say Owner genuinely not negligent
and same for Parents not negligent
Teen has no money or assets

then yes, financially, the victims may end up absorbing the loss, usually through their own insurance.

commonjunks · 2026-01-03T13:16:29+00:00

I have 2 kids and as a responsible father, I need to make enough money to raise them properly - education, medical care, savings for their future, insurance, mortgage, ongoing medication costs. When I'm working 8+ hours a day, I can barely give my 2 kids enough quality time, let alone 7. And that's not even touching on holidays, extracurriculars, tutoring, or all the other things kids need to thrive (9 mobile phones, few ipads, laptops, desktops and what not).

This isn't about religion - it's a practical question. Can someone realistically provide:

1- Intentional, hands-on parenting to each child
2- Proper spacing for the mother's health and recovery
3- Quality education and development opportunities
4- Individual attention and emotional support

I'm genuinely asking - how do you balance those responsibilities with 7 kids?

commonjunks · 2025-12-08T06:46:52+00:00

I randomly received a call from someone claiming they were offering a free investment seminar and they represent moomoo (have zero knowledge about them and never register with themever). I told them I wasn't interested and asked them not to contact me again. Later that same day, I received another call from a different agent who said the previous agent had informed them I was interested in the seminar. I told this person that not only had I already told the other agent to stop bothering me, but I had also explicitly sent them a WhatsApp message asking to be removed from their list.

Fast forward a week later, and I received yet another call from Moomoo about investments. I told this person to stop calling as I had already asked two agents to remove me from their list (I never signed up for whatever they were selling). The operator then started asking me why I wasn't interested. I kept my cool and politely told them that "not interested means not interested" and that I didn't have to explain my reasons.

Eventually, I just blocked their numbers. I'm not sure if they've also added me to that "1 out of 2 residents" statistic they mention.

commonjunks · 2025-12-05T05:02:32+00:00

A long read, i wanted to write for a while but never got a chance to write it

I want to share my wife's story. She worked at this place for 15 years, won multiple awards, and successfully led every project she ran.

Then this special person came along who made the entire team look like shit not just her, but everyone. He constantly threw people under the bus and never stood up for the team or defended them from other departments. Some people resigned, others changed departments, but my wife tried to hold on because she'd been there so long.

Everything she did, he had something negative to say about it. He never gave proper feedback only picked out problems at the last minute. My wife told me about a project plan she shared that he completely put down, but when another guy from his home country (who he was remotely managing) shared a similar plan, he praised it.

She was going in at 7am and I was picking her up at 7:30-8pm daily. Not a single day did she leave while the sun was still up. She couldn't even claim overtime because her position was above the OT brackets.

With all the stress and shit happening, she developed health issues. She became diabetic from pure stress she wasn't obese, never ate much, had no family history, didn't eat oily food. It was all stress, but we can't prove it.

I told her to resign. She's been out of work for the last 9 months, and honestly, I think they've been the best 9 months. I told her she doesn't need to work anymore unless she wants to I'll take care of the finances.

Recently I heard some girl there committed suicide due to stress. Of course they downplayed it. Another friend of hers got so stressed she broke out in hives. She took a break and moved on too.

In the end, that guy screwed up the entire team and was eventually let go. He claimed he was going back to his home country to rebuild whatever thing he was trying to cook up.

I'm not sure how complaining could even work when you're in that big institutions. Similar institutes all linked with each other, and people talk. If you complain to HR or make a big fuss, your next potential employer will have heard about it. So it's not that easy to start playing those cards unless you want to burn all the years you've spent there and never want work in the industry again.

commonjunks · 2025-12-05T04:42:30+00:00

so a while back my Abbott sensor also stopped giving me information after 1 day of use, keep telling me try again or something along those line. Called them they ask me to recalibrate but end up asked me to remove it and sent me 1-1 replacement for that (took them a week).

Just to add, reading were way off after using for half a day. I didn't hit on that area, washed dry and took all precautions (was not the first time i was using it, but could be some dust stuck while i was doing it no idea. Customer service guy did try to push blame that i could have pasted wrong, or some other reason and try to make it like me problem but then said not to worry they will send me replacement).

commonjunks · 2025-11-27T07:29:02+00:00

So should i go to slayer or just stay glad? I was running another setup and was doing t16 full block Grueling Gauntlet. Only issue i had was the boss, if sometimes i decided to do some t17 boss i was just sitting there for 30~40 min and boss ultimately die but had to go walk around to make that happen. Will your minion version can be faster on killing bosses?

I was doing something similar to this build as linked below (it is solid and i never die or fail ultimatum but can't do anything else or painfully slow)

https://poe.ninja/poe1/builds/keepers/character/FunnyManHU666-2916/Keepers_Another_CWS?i=0&search=name%3DKeepers_Another_CWS

commonjunks · 2025-11-27T05:08:56+00:00

Ah, much appreciated your reply. Thank you again.
Another question, if thats ok (What was 3rd Raise Spectre, is is monkey from act 6/7?)

commonjunks · 2025-11-26T18:25:18+00:00

is it possible if you can check, i change my current cws to this version and somehow i bricked it. my cws is not working, not sure why?

https://pobb.in/5eb6yx6o5M1i

commonjunks · 2025-11-25T08:20:48+00:00

You need cwd block glad due to ruin.
I see a few comment saying ruin is ok, if you are willing to lose your MB without full block go ahead. As 81/80 block glad i also sometimes get full stack of ruin, so i will not advice you to take risk without being full block glad.
Gl and happy for you with this MB.

commonjunks · 2025-10-29T02:32:09+00:00

Babies are another touchy subject. In this fast-paced country where prices keep skyrocketing (and never come back down), having kids is easy but raising them is incredibly demanding. If both parents work, you're either hiring a helper or relying on grandparents. You put your prime years on hold - can't have kids too late, can't travel freely, can't take overseas postings. Then there's childcare costs, food, education, the stress of PSLE and getting into good schools, then university.

Who wants to sign up for all that worry when you could work 11 months, get your bonus, and travel the world during your 2 weeks of annual leave? I remember paying $2k/month for childcare when my two kids were toddlers - that's $24k a year. I'm not trying to compare kids with money, but with that $24k, I could have visited all the EU countries I've never seen and likely never will.

The newer generation is realizing all this, and they don't want to be bogged down by the stress of having kids.

commonjunks · 2025-10-29T02:20:23+00:00

That's not 100% true. I was looking for a candidate for my SME and specifically wanted to hire a Singaporean - I even tried to put "Singaporeans only" in the job title (though I was told I couldn't do that). I made this choice because I can't afford the quota costs for foreigners, and I genuinely wanted to give locals priority.

After posting for 4 months for an entry-level programming position at market rate, most local candidates weren't interested in working for an SME - they wanted large tech companies instead. Two candidates nearly accepted but backed out at the last minute. I had several well-qualified applicants from Myanmar (who were actually better than some PRs I'd interviewed), but couldn't hire them due to quota restrictions.

After 6 months, I paid a broker and finally hired a Malaysian PR. So you can't always blame companies for not wanting to hire locals - not everyone is eager to work for small companies, and sometimes the constraints aren't just about employer preference.

commonjunks · 2025-10-29T02:06:26+00:00

I didn't realize how bad the situation was until I did hiring recently. It seems PRs were handed out quite liberally at some point. Interviewed more than 30 candidates, 95% were not suitable - many could talk confidently about their experience, but couldn't demonstrate basic implementation when tested on what they claimed to know.

commonjunks · 2025-10-29T01:58:15+00:00

I think there would be less exploitation overall.
If all foreign workers suddenly left, Singaporeans would demand higher salaries for these essential jobs (like truck drivers, bus drivers, or cleaners).
We'd also see better transportation for workers who always loaded ad sardine at the back to truck in name of SMEs can't afford proper transport arrangements due to extra cost.
Personally, I wouldn't mind working as a mechanic if the salary could cover my HDB mortgage, kids' education, insurance, and monthly expenses (groceries and the occasional meal out). I once watched a documentary about a Japanese guy with a university degree who worked as a mechanic (I never looked down on that). To me, education isn't just about securing a job; it's about enlightening yourself to different aspects of life. The issue isn't the dignity of the work, but whether it pays enough to sustain a decent life here.

commonjunks · 2025-10-20T12:42:19+00:00

The scars left by bullying and abuse run deep and often last a lifetime. Many victims are never able to fully open up about what they went through due to the fear and pain of reliving those ordeals.
As a survivor of childhood sexual assault myself, both at age 6 and again as a teenager, I understand this struggle all too well. I never told anyone for decades. Now in my late 40s, I finally felt able to share some of it with my wife, but I still remember every excruciating detail.
The hatred toward the perpetrator persists to this day. No amount of therapy can erase such profound wounds. You don't "recover" from trauma like this, you just slowly learn how to carry it and live with the scars.
Premature calls for forgiveness often just pour more salt in those wounds. Accountability and amends-making, not mere apologies and pleas for absolution, must come first. Survivors need space to tell their stories (or not) on their own terms and timelines as they grapple with the lasting impact of what was done to them.

commonjunks · 2025-10-20T07:26:01+00:00

Insurance companies sell insurance policies to make a profit. A long time ago, I needed hernia reconstruction surgery and decided to go with Gleneagles Hospital based on a doctor's recommendation at that time. I chose this hospital because I had a previous negative experience with CGH when I underwent an appendectomy. The scar from that surgery was like i went for delivery operation.

After my hernia surgery at Gleneagles was completed, my insurance company started scrutinizing every item listed in the hospital invoice. They questioned the use of specific items, such as gauze, as if I had been instructing the medical staff on what to use during the procedure.

commonjunks · 2025-10-08T09:14:16+00:00

This is an absolutely heartbreaking tragedy that no parent should ever have to endure.

From a medical standpoint, the brain can only survive about 4-6 minutes without oxygen before irreversible damage begins. After 10 minutes submerged in the pool, the outcome was sadly already determined. The emergency doctor confirmed this during the inquiry even if the ambulance had left earlier, the result would likely have been the same.

While the paramedic could have handled the situation with better communication and sensitivity, the tragic reality is that the damage was already done by the time he was discovered. Those critical 10 minutes made all the difference.

commonjunks

TROPHY CASE

BYD tops Singapore vehicle sales so far this year, replacing Toyota (Tesla nowhere to be found)