National Service (NS) reservist in Singapore is a significant commitment, not only for Singaporean male citizens and permanent residents (PRs) but also for their employers. While fulfilling NS reservist obligations is a duty for these individuals, it can present unique challenges for employers who must navigate manpower disruptions, payroll adjustments, and regulatory compliance.

This guide delves into essential aspects of managing NS reservist obligations for employees, along with practical advice on using HR software to ensure efficient, compliant, and supportive processes.

What is a National Service (NS) reservist?

For Singaporean males and PRs, National Service isn’t just a one-time experience; it involves a series of commitments spread over several years. Commonly referred to as “reservist,” Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) is a training phase that all National Servicemen (NSmen) must complete. ORNS spans a total of 10 work-years, during which NSmen are required to fulfil call-up duties and participate in various training activities.

To complete each ORNS work-year, NSmen need to finish the designated ORNS activities within the specific period, which runs from 1 April to 31 March of the following year. Each year, reservists may be called up for ORNS activities for a maximum of 40 days. If the call-up exceeds 40 days within a work-year, the NSman must arrange an agreement with their employer for the extended service. Both the NSman and the employer must sign an undertaking to confirm this arrangement.

If an employer dismisses an employee solely due to their NS obligations, they may face a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to 6 months, or both. Additionally, the court may order the employer to pay compensation equivalent to up to three months of the employee’s civilian income.

For call-ups that begin in one work-year and continue into the next, the entire period is counted within the earlier work-year and does not affect the following year’s 40-day limit for ORNS activities.

What happens during the NS Reservist commitment?

To manage workforce disruptions effectively, it’s crucial to understand the arrangement of reservist commitments:

Over the 10 ORNS work-years, employees typically have to complete 7 High Key (HK) activities and 3 Low Key (LK) activities. HK activities last 7 days or more, and can comprise the following:

• In-Camp Training (ICT);
• Make-Up Training (MUT); and
• Other courses.

On the other hand, LK activities last 6 days or fewer and can comprise the following:

• ICT;
• MUT;
• Other courses;
• Briefings;
• Medical reviews; and
• Mobilisation.

Understanding the nature and duration of these commitments helps employers plan and manage operations around NS-related absences.

Who is required to undergo reservist?

All NSmen have a duty to serve and undergo reservist. This is regardless of whether the employee is still a student, unemployed, or employed. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to this, which are made on a case-by-case basis through a deferment application to the Central Manpower Base (CMPB).

If the application is successful, an employee will be issued a deferment order. However, this does not mean that employees do not have to attend reservists for good.

How will employees know if they have been notified for NS reservist?

The employee will be notified of their call-up via the following methods:

• Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) notification channels;
• Automated telephone response system
• SMS; and
• E-mail.

The notification period for every call-up activity also differs. They are as follows:

After the employee receives the notification, they will need to provide an acknowledgement through the MINDEF notification channels or “Manage Call-Ups & Manning” on the NS Portal. If they do not submit such acknowledgement for the call-up within 10 days, the official notice, known as the SAF100, will be sent via registered mail to the registered address. It will notify them of the date and location that they are required to report to for ORNS activities.

What should the employees do to inform their employer about the NS reservist notification?

The employee will have to inform their employer and forward them a copy of the eSAF100, which is a softcopy version of the SAF100. Furthermore, to ensure smooth and punctual payment of all Make-Up Pay claims, they will have to submit a claim via the “Manage NSmen Payments” section on the NS Portal or through the submission of hardcopies of the Make-Up Pay claim form(s) to the NSmen Payments Centre (NPC) at least 2 weeks before the start of a call-up.

The employees are to also prepare and bring equipment such as boots, field pack, jockey cap, and uniform beforehand, and these can be bought from the SAF eMart on the NS Portal using eMart credits or cash.

Will my employees suffer a loss of income during NS reservist?

Fulfilling the duty to complete the ORNS activities would inevitably mean that those employed would have to be away from their employment for up to 40 days in a year, which may normally lead to a loss of income. Taking that into consideration, NSmen are eligible to receive National Service Pay (NS Pay), a payment made up of 2 components, namely the Service Pay and Make-Up Pay, to cover the loss of income.

• The Service Pay: The Service Pay is a sum of money equivalent to your full-time NSman pay and vocational allowance. This sum is on a pro-rated basis dependent on your rank, vocation, and the duration of the ORNS activity you have participated in.
  • For example, if you are an Infantry Third Serjeant with a monthly Service Pay of $990, you would be paid a prorated sum of $383.23 of Service Pay for attending a 12-day ICT in the month of October (12/31 days x 990).

• Make-Up Pay: The Make-Up Pay will be the sum of money you will receive in the event that the Service Pay is inadequate to fully cover the loss of your civilian income. The Make-Up Pay is equivalent to the difference between your loss of civilian income and Service Pay.
  • For example, if your monthly civilian income is $2,000, your total loss of income for the 12-day ICT period will be $645.16 (10/31 days x 2,000). (This calculation assumes that 2 of the ICT days fall on 2 non-working days, such as the weekend; hence, your civilian income is pro-rated over only 10 days instead of 12 days.) As your Service Pay of $383.23 is lower than your loss of income, you would therefore be eligible to receive Make-Up Pay of $645.16 – $383.23 = $261.93. Hence, even though you would be away from your job while on reservist, there would be no loss of income. However, no Make-Up Pay will be payable if your civilian income loss incurred is lower than your Service Pay.

Tip: Explore more insights on how to manage Make-Up Pay effectively for your employees in our NSmen Make-Up Pay guide.

What is the deferment of reservists for those who are unable to attend?

A deferment is a last resort option for NSmen who have valid reasons that may reasonably prevent their participation in the ORNS activities. Common grounds for valid deferment are as follows:

• Starting a new job or a newly established business, as the individual may need to focus on settling down in the job/helping to stabilise the business;
• Needing to sit for an examination;
• Marriage and honeymoon;
• Possible birth of a child; 
• Serious illness or death of a next-of-kin.

The employee must apply for deferment at least 10 weeks before ICT commences. However, deferments are granted on a case-by-case basis and are not always guaranteed. If the application for deferment is approved, the employee will be exempted from the ORNS activities for that work-year. Despite this, they may still be called up for MUT within the same work-year.

What are the penalties for not attending NS reservist?

If your employee fails to attend a call-up without a valid deferment, they will be called in for an investigation. During this investigation, if they’re found to lack a valid reason for missing reservist duties, they may face disciplinary actions, potentially being charged for Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL).

Employees called up for reservist are subject to military law. If they fail to report for military service when legally required, they could face penalties under the Singapore Armed Forces Act, including imprisonment of up to two years or other military-authorised disciplinary measures.

Additionally, if an employee has a valid exit permit allowing them to remain outside Singapore, they are legally exempt from reservist duties for the permit’s duration. However, failing to return to Singapore after the exit permit expires—and missing reservist as a result—is an offence. This could result in a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 3 years, or both.

Navigating NS reservist leave policies in Singapore

Singapore’s Employment Act mandates that employers accommodate NS obligations, with clear guidelines on entitlements:

• Reservist Leave: Reservist leave entitles employees to paid time off to attend NS commitments. Employers can apply for reimbursement from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for wages paid during reservist leave, helping to offset financial burdens.
• Pay Entitlements: While reservist leave is generally paid, employers may need to adjust payroll for NS training periods. An HR management system that automates these adjustments simplifies this process, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

It’s critical to ensure employees are informed of their entitlements and that HR departments have clear policies to handle leave and payroll adjustments.

Supporting employees through reservist periods

Creating a supportive culture is beneficial for morale and long-term employee loyalty. Here are ways to show support:

• Workforce planning: In smaller teams, especially, each absence can affect productivity. Plan for potential reservist absences by cross-training employees or arranging for temporary cover to reduce workflow disruption.
• Using HRMS Software to ease leave tracking: Tracking employee leave, especially when it’s mandatory and recurring, can be complex. Payboy’s HRMS software enables automatic tracking of reservist leave, ensuring no overlap or mismanagement of leave days.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Consider offering part-time, remote, or other flexible work arrangements to reservists, where feasible, to help them manage both work and NS obligations comfortably.

Common challenges and solutions for employers

Employers may encounter common challenges, such as managing manpower during extended reservist periods. Here are some solutions:

• Ensuring continuity: By planning ahead, employers can have a strategy to fill any temporary vacancies, using temporary hires or freelancers if needed.
• Avoiding miscommunication: A comprehensive HR management system like Payboy’s can prevent miscommunication by providing an easily accessible record of all reservist-related arrangements, improving clarity and accountability.
• Maintaining legal compliance: Reservist leave laws are strict in Singapore. HR software can streamline compliance with reminders and automated updates to ensure the company meets all necessary obligations.

How Payboy HRMS simplifies NS reservist management

Managing NS obligations manually can be challenging, especially for SMEs with limited HR resources. Payboy’s HRMS software offers several features to streamline this process:

• Automated leave tracking: Payboy’s automated leave management system automatically tracks reservist leave, helping employers monitor attendance and plan for potential workflow disruptions.
• Payroll adjustments and reimbursement claims: Our Payroll software makes it easy to adjust payroll to reflect reservist leave. Additionally, it can assist employers in managing claims for reimbursement from MINDEF, a crucial feature to ensure timely and accurate compensation.
• Compliance and notifications: With Payboy’s notification system, HR teams receive timely alerts for upcoming reservist commitments, helping them prepare in advance and avoid last-minute disruptions.

Worry-free of leave tracking, leave it to Payboy’s Automatic Leave Management System!

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find leave management to be a pain point, and we can understand why:

• SMEs don’t have as many HR resources as larger businesses. As a result, they often have to rely on manual leave processes, which can be both time-consuming and error-prone.
• SMEs often have a more limited pool of employees to choose from when someone goes on leave. This can lead to disruptions in workflow and decreased productivity.

If leave isn't managed properly, it can have a negative impact on productivity and morale. Therefore, good HR software is an essential tool for any business that wants to stay on top of its leave entitlements and ensure its employees are getting the rest they deserve. Here are some benefits of using our leave management module:

Sync seamlessly with Shift Scheduling and Payroll Processing modules

Shift scheduling and payroll calculation can be time-consuming and stressful while managing different leave types and requests. With Payboy HR software, when leaves are approved, the employee’s availability will be automatically updated in the Shift Scheduling module, and any encashed or unpaid leave will be calculated in the Payroll Processing module. 

Customise the leave policy that best fits your business needs

We'll provide you with a MOM-compliant setup to start with, but we are also ready to assist you in customising your leave policy to fit your business requirements. Check out how to customise settings for each leave type with Payboy, including shared parental leave!

Our Payboy Support Centre also helps to address most of the FAQs regarding other statutory leave entitlements asked by our customers:

• Carry-Forward Leave & Leave Balance for the New Year
• How to encash leaves for resigned employee(s)?
• How do Payboy's system calculate leave encashment?

Streamline your HR processes with Payboy today!

As a PSG-approved HRMS, Payboy provides a robust system to help you manage your HR tasks so that you can focus on your business and people!

With our wide range of modules, you can customise a solution to meet the specific needs of your business:

Payroll Processing | Leave Management | Claims Management | Applicant Tracking

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