Managing Medical Leave in Singapore: The Ultimate Guide for HR Professionals

Understanding Medical Leave in Singapore

Under the Employment Act, employees can get paid medical leave for outpatient care and hospitalization leave, each with specific requirements.

Medical leave consists of two components:

• Paid Outpatient Sick Leave:

  Requires a medical certificate from a registered practitioner to qualify.

• Paid Hospitalization Leave:

  Covers hospital care as deemed necessary by a hospital doctor. This includes being warded, day surgery, bed rest (e.g., pregnancy complications), or post-discharge recovery. It can also apply to mandatory quarantine orders.

  Keep in mind that paid hospitalisation leave is not an extension of paid outpatient sick leave.

Eligibility for Medical Leave

To be eligible for paid medical leave, an employee must:

• Be covered under the Employment Act.
• Have worked for their employer for at least 3 months.
• Inform their employer within 48 hours of their absence (unless impossible).

Paid hospitalization leave is only available for employees who are:

• Admitted to a hospital as an inpatient or for day surgery.
• Quarantined under any written law.
• Certified by a medical professional with admitting privileges at an approved hospital, including doctors from national specialty centres and ambulatory surgical centres.

An employee cannot apply for paid medical leave during:

• Rest days, public holidays, non-working days, or unpaid leave.

Medical Leave Entitlement

An employee qualifies for both paid outpatient sick leave and hospitalization leave if they meet the eligibility criteria above.

Here are the entitlements:

• Up to 14 days for paid outpatient sick leave.
• Up to 60 days for paid hospitalization leave (includes the 14-day outpatient entitlement).

An employee’s entitlement to paid medical leave is determined by the length of service. Those employed for 6 months or more receive the full entitlement.

Limits on Paid Medical Leave Days

The combined total of outpatient and hospitalization leave cannot exceed the medical leave entitlement of an employee.

For example, if an employee used 14 days of outpatient leave, they’d have 46 days of hospitalization leave remaining (60 total - 14 used).

Prorated Medical Leave for New Hires

New hires (under 6 months) receive prorated medical leave based on service length. The service starts on their first workday. They need at least 3 months to qualify for paid leave.

For instance, if they start working on February 13, 2023, any sick leave between February 13 to May 12, 2023, would be unpaid.

Employer's Responsibilities

Employers play a crucial role by providing updated information about medical benefits and administering a compliant leave management, which includes acknowledging and approving valid medical leave requests.

Medical Reimbursements

Employees on approved paid sick leave will receive:

• Full salary continuation for the duration of their leave.
• Reimbursement for medical consultation fees incurred during their illness, provided:
  • The medical certificate (MC) is issued by a public hospital or a company-approved clinic.
  • The doctor's visit results in the employee needing to take at least one full day of paid sick leave.

Medical Reimbursement Limitations

Employees won't receive sick leave or reimbursement for consultations during public holidays, annual leave, rest days, or non-working days.

Furthermore, employers are not required to cover cosmetic procedures.

Salary During Sick Leave

• During paid hospitalization leave, an employee must receive their gross rate of pay.
• During paid outpatient leave, an employee must receive their gross rate of pay excluding any shift allowance.

Employee's Responsibilities

While employers ensure a healthy and supportive workplace, there are a few guidelines employees should follow for a smooth leave processing.

Notifying Employer for Medical Leave

• Inform their employer as soon as possible if they can't come to work. This allows the company to make alternative work arrangements.
• The Employment Act requires informing their employer within 48 hours of absence.
• Submit their medical certificate (MC) upon returning to work. Only MCs from government doctors, company doctors, or accredited institutions/clinics are valid.

Frequently Asked Questions
About Medical Leave In Singapore

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