Complaints Received from Employees not Granted Paid Sick Leave for COVID-19-related Conditions and Procedures

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has received complaints from employees who are not granted paid sick leave for COVID-19 related conditions and procedures such as quarantine orders and severe side effects from vaccination; and (b) if so, how many complaints have been received to date.

Employees are legally entitled to paid sick leave if they are medically certified to be unfit for work or are under quarantine. Employees who are denied their contractual or statutory sick leave entitlements can approach the Ministry or the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for assistance.

In the past 12 months, TADM managed eight sick leave claims relating to COVID-19. All of these cases were resolved with the employers accepting the claims and making good on the payment following mediation by TADM.

Despite the COVID-19 disruptions, employers have generally been responsible and supportive of their employees in the provision of sick leave. Some employers have exercised flexibility and compassion to provide additional paid sick leave to employees who have exhausted their leave entitlements. Others have allowed employees to count COVID-19 related medical certificates towards hospitalisation rather than outpatient sick leave quotas. We encourage employers to continue to be flexible in supporting employees’ needs amidst this pandemic.