Man loses defamation case against HSBC Life over resignation record

The plaintiff, who had been working part-time at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), claimed that HSBC Life's records incorrectly stated he had been involuntarily resigned when in fact he had chosen to leave his position. According to court findings, Prudential—the original employer—had wanted to bring him on as a full-time employee, but he declined the offer to retain his part-time role at MAS. The High Court heard that the disputed employment record stemmed from a misunderstanding between the plaintiff and the company regarding the circumstances of his departure. The judge concluded that while the record may have been inaccurate, there was insufficient evidence to prove that HSBC Life had acted with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the truth in documenting the resignation as involuntary. The ruling means the plaintiff's defamation claim does not meet the legal threshold required to succeed in Singapore courts. The case underscores the complexities that can arise when employment records are transferred between organizations or when the circumstances of an employee's departure are subject to differing interpretations.