Is AWS (13th month bonus) guaranteed in Singapore or can company skip it?

Worked in HR/payroll, so let me clear this up. AWS (Annual Wage Supplement, the 13th month) is NOT required by law in Singapore, MOM encourages it but does not mandate it. Whether you get it depends entirely on your employment contract or the collective agreement if you are in a unionised company. So if your contract says AWS is subject to company performance or is discretionary, then legally they can reduce or skip it in a bad year. Your previous company probably had it as a contractual fixed term, which is why it felt automatic. What to do: read your offer letter and contract carefully, look for the exact wording. If it says guaranteed one month, then it is contractual and they must pay. If it says discretionary or performance-linked, treat it as a possible bonus, not a certainty, and factor that into whether the base salary alone is acceptable to you. You can ask HR during negotiation to clarify or even to convert part of it into guaranteed base if AWS certainty matters to you. Don't assume, always read the contract wording.