Hi Uncle,

I am asking for your help on behalf of my friend. The situation is as follows:

He is working at the local subsidy of a global, foreign company. He has been working very hard to get a project for the local company. Customers were satisfied with his effort and performance, the management originally also promised him to be the project manager(PM) once the contract signed, and he also felt he is deserved to be PM. But in the end, the PM was given to another guy, from that foreign country. It's like stabbing in someone's back!

But the issue here is - the reason given to him by the upper management was that: the other guy, as is from that foreign country and is able to talk in the native language of that country (which is non-English), will be able to better communicate with the HQ back in that foreign country (as we may need some support from the HQ for the project).

Does this sound like work-place discrimination? as it doesn't depend on one's capability but race/nationality when filling a position! Given the current laws in SG, is there any protection we can seek for my friend? If there is, what are the necessary action we can take, like collecting of evidence, etc?

Thanks for your help.

From the brief facts it is difficult to say that work place discrimination exists.
If it does then of course all form of evidence would come in handy e.g. email, telephone conversation etc.