Hi All,

Need your advise on this.

I recently gotten a new job via a recruitment agency (lets call them A) and have signed the employment contract with them. I was due to start work at the end of May. Few days later, I was also asked to sign a letter of commitment, stating that if I decline the job offer at a later date or fail to commence work, I would have to pay 1 month pay as compensation.

I was skeptical of this letter as I do not wish to be bonded by such terms.

Skip to 2 weeks later, the recruiter kept sending me email/whatsapp to chase for the signed letter of commitment. Due to my stupidity, I decided to sign this letter and stop her from chasing and hounding me.

A week later, I received a better job offer from another company. I decided to take up this offer and informed A of my decision to forgo their offer as I have found a better job. This recruiter was furious and demanded that I pay 1 month compensation and used the signed letter of commitment as proof. They said it was a breach of contract and will bring legal action against me if I did not pay them. (PS. I am just a white collar worker earning ard 3k/mth only T.T)

Question:

1. Will the agency go ahead with their threats?

2. Since I am in breach of contract, do I have any chance to win? I believe this is really unethical of this agency to come out with such clauses. I plan to find a pro bono lawyer if it really goes to legal action.

3. Signed letter of commitment stated was 9-April, but I only signed on 22-April after much chasing from the recruiter. Is this backdated "contract" still valid? Can I say I signed it due to duress? (continously chasing from recruiter)

4. I called MOM and they said they cannot help as employee-employer relationship is not established, so my problem is with the agency.zzz. Any other governing bodies which can help me?

Hopeful for some advise as I do not wish to pay this 3k to the agency T.T