Sick & hospitalisation leave in Singapore - What every employer must know
If you're an employer in Singapore, you'll want to be sure that you're up-to-date on the latest sick and hospitalisation leave regulations. In this guide, we've provided answers to frequently asked questions regarding medical leave in Singapore. Read on to find out more!
Sick leave
Who is eligible for paid sick leave?
An employee is entitled to paid sick leave if:
He or she is covered under the Employment Act
He or she has worked for at least 3 months
He or she has informed the employee within 48 hours of his or her absence
He or she obtains a medical certificate (MC) from a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act
However, employers are strongly encouraged to show compassion and provide paid sick leave to employees who have worked for less than 3 months!
What is the sick leave entitlement in Singapore?
The total number of paid sick leave is available up to 14 days, and it’s prorated based on length of employment.
How to calculate prorated sick leave?
An employee is entitled to full 14 days of paid sick leave once he or she has worked for 6 months or more.
Completed months of employment
Paid sick leave days
3
5
4
8
5
11
6 or more
14
Can medical appointments be considered as sick leave?
If the approved doctor issues a medical certificate, the employee is then entitled to paid sick leave for the appointment.
What happens if the employee falls sick during annual leave?
The employee may discuss with the employer to cancel the annual leave and take sick leave instead.
Can an employee take sick leave during notice period?
Yes, an employee can take sick leave during notice period as long as he or she meets the eligibility criteria:
He or she is covered under the Employment Act
He or she has worked for at least 3 months
He or she has informed the employee within 48 hours of his or her absence
He or she obtains a medical certificate (MC) from a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act
Does sick leave get paid out when an employee resigns?
Sick leave entitlements cannot be encashed.
How to apply for sick leave?
Employees are only entitled to paid sick leave if they submit a medical certificate (MC) from a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act.
How many days of hospitalisation leave are employees entitled to in Singapore?
Employees are entitled up to 60 days of paid hospitalisation leave. Do note that the 14 days of paid sick leave entitlement is included in these 60 days.
Example:
If the employee has worked for more than 6 months and has taken 5 days of sick leave, the remaining days of paid hospitalisation leave entitlement will be 60 - 5 = 55.
How to calculate the number of hospitalisation leaves?
An employee is entitled to full 60 days of paid hospitalisation leave once he or she has worked for 6 months or more.
Completed months of employment
Paid sick hospitalisation days
3
15
4
30
5
45
6 or more
60
Medical claim
Must the employer reimburse the medical consultation fees for the employee?
Your employer must pay for your medical consultation only if you have taken paid sick leave and your MC is issued by a government or company-approved doctor or dentist, including specialists. Your employer should clearly communicate the list of company-approved doctors or dentists to you.
Tip: Your employees can easily submit their MC for reimbursements through Payboy’s claims management module. No more messy paperwork or lengthy email threads for approval!
Is it compulsory for employers to provide medical benefits?
It is not required to provide other medical benefits besides the mandatory reimbursement of medical consultation fees when an employee takes a sick leave.
While it may not be compulsory, providing medical benefits to your employees is a great way to show that you appreciate their hard work and take care of their well being. With Payboy Benefits, we’ve got you covered with our pool of well-established health partners such as Fullerton Health and ParkwayHealth so that you can roll out some of these health and wellness benefits easily without starting from scratch!
Tip: Check out our “Best Employee Benefits Ideas in Singapore” if you are looking to kickstart or improve your company’s employee benefits programme beyond providing medical benefits.
Why do some SMEs find leave management challenging?
Small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) often find leave management to be a pain point. Here are 2 key reasons:
SMEs don’t have the same 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.
How to simplify sick leave tracking with Payboy’s leave management system?
If leave isn't managed properly, it can have a negative impact on productivity and morale. Therefore a good leave management software is an essential tool for any business that wants to keep on top of its leave entitlements and ensure that its employees are getting the rest they deserve. Here are some benefits of using our leave management module:
Manage leaves digitally
Our leave management software is designed to streamline the leave process, making it easy for employees to apply for leave and check leave balances, as well as for employers to approve and manage leave requests.
Employees can also easily submit supporting documents or medical certificates via the mobile app so that all the documents are stored in a central database. No more missing documents!
Syncs seamlessly with shift scheduling and payroll
Shift scheduling and payroll calculation can be time-consuming and stressful while managing different leave requests. With Payboy HR software, it automatically updates the employee’s availability in Shift Scheduling and also calculates encashed or unpaid leave in Payroll module when leaves are approved. We've got it covered.
Customise the leave policy that best fits your business needs
Reach out to us if you are keen for a free demo on how we can help you save hours and give you some peace of mind on payroll and other HR matters so that you can focus on your business and people.
