Rida Global Pte Ltd v Jonathan Lim: Transfer of Employment Claim to High Court for Breach of Duty

In Rida Global Pte Ltd v Jonathan Lim Chuan Ren, the High Court of Singapore heard an application by Rida Global Pte Ltd to transfer proceedings from the Employment Claims Tribunal to the High Court. The application was granted by Choo Han Teck J on 31 January 2023, allowing the wrongful dismissal claim to be tried together with the High Court Suit due to overlapping issues of fact and law.

1. Case Overview

1.1 Court

General Division of the High Court

1.2 Outcome

Application allowed for the Employment Claims Tribunal proceedings to be transferred to the High Court and tried together with the High Court Suit.

1.3 Case Type

Civil

1.4 Judgment Type

Judgment

1.5 Jurisdiction

Singapore

1.6 Description

Application to transfer wrongful dismissal claim from Employment Claims Tribunal to High Court allowed due to overlapping issues with High Court Suit.

1.7 Decision Date

2. Parties and Outcomes

Party NameRoleTypeOutcomeOutcome TypeCounsels
Rida Global Pte LtdApplicantCorporationApplication AllowedWonAng Ann Liang
Jonathan Lim Chuan RenRespondentIndividualApplication DismissedLostYeoh Jun Wei Derric

3. Judges

Judge NameTitleDelivered Judgment
Choo Han TeckJudge of the High CourtYes

4. Counsels

Counsel NameOrganization
Ang Ann LiangAllen & Gledhill LLP
Yeoh Jun Wei DerricDonaldson & Burkinshaw LLP

4. Facts

  1. Rida Global applied to transfer proceedings from the Employment Claims Tribunal to the High Court.
  2. Jonathan Lim was an employee of Rida Global from 1 April 2022 to 23 August 2022.
  3. Rida Global summarily dismissed Jonathan Lim without notice on 23 August 2022.
  4. Jonathan Lim commenced proceedings for wrongful dismissal against Rida Global in the Employment Claims Tribunal on 17 October 2022.
  5. Rida Global commenced HC/OC 404/2022 against Jonathan Lim for damages arising from breaches of fiduciary and contractual duties on 22 November 2022.
  6. Lim is claiming for $20,000, which is the jurisdictional limit of the ECT.

5. Formal Citations

  1. Rida Global Pte Ltd v Lim Chuan Ren Jonathan, Originating Application No 783 of 2022, [2023] SGHC 21

6. Timeline

DateEvent
Jonathan Lim Chuan Ren employed by Rida Global Pte Ltd.
Rida Global summarily dismissed Jonathan Lim Chuan Ren without notice.
Jonathan Lim commenced proceedings for wrongful dismissal against Rida Global in the Employment Claims Tribunal.
Rida Global commenced HC/OC 404/2022 against Jonathan Lim for damages arising from breaches of fiduciary and contractual duties.
Hearing before Choo Han Teck J.
Judgment reserved.

7. Legal Issues

  1. Transfer of Proceedings
    • Outcome: The court allowed the application to transfer the proceedings from the Employment Claims Tribunal to the High Court.
    • Category: Procedural
    • Related Cases:
      • [2018] 5 SLR 431
  2. Wrongful Dismissal
    • Outcome: The court did not make a ruling on the merits of the wrongful dismissal claim, but noted that the Employment Claims Tribunal must inquire into allegations of breaches by Lim of his employment obligations.
    • Category: Substantive

8. Remedies Sought

  1. Transfer of Proceedings
  2. Damages

9. Cause of Actions

  • Wrongful Dismissal
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Breach of Contractual Duty

10. Practice Areas

  • Litigation

11. Industries

  • Delivery Services

12. Cited Cases

Case NameCourtAffirmedCitationJurisdictionSignificance
DFI Engineering Pte Ltd v Mo Mei JenHigh CourtYes[2018] 5 SLR 431SingaporeCited for the guiding principles for what constitutes “sufficient reason” under s 17(1) of the ECA.

13. Applicable Rules

Rule Name
No applicable rules

14. Applicable Statutes

Statute NameJurisdiction
Employment Claims Act 2016Singapore
Employment Act 1968Singapore

15. Key Terms and Keywords

15.1 Key Terms

  • Employment Claims Tribunal
  • Wrongful Dismissal
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Breach of Contractual Duty
  • Transfer of Proceedings
  • Due Inquiry

15.2 Keywords

  • Employment Claims Tribunal
  • Wrongful Dismissal
  • Transfer of Proceedings
  • Employment Act
  • Employment Claims Act

16. Subjects

  • Employment Law
  • Civil Procedure

17. Areas of Law

  • Civil Procedure
  • Employment Law