MOM can suspend work pass privileges of employers who insist on MCs from staff with Covid-19

EMPLOYERS that insist on a medical certificate (MC) from staff who have tested positive for Covid-19, despite tripartite advisory to not do so, may have their work pass privileges suspended, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said on Wednesday (Mar 9).

"Employers are expected to follow the positions set out in the advisories. If any employer deviates from the advisory without good reason, employees may approach the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for assistance," Dr Tan said in a written parliamentary reply to Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng.

MOM will then verify the facts with the employers and advise them to follow the advisory, he said.

He added that such advisories are issued after careful consideration of the interests of both employers and employees.

According a tripartite advisory updated on Jan 5, employees who are unwell or are not able to work from home after testing positive for Covid-19 should not be required to produce an MC.

Instead, employers should treat the period of absence as paid sick leave, whether or not they were issued with an MC.

Those have tested positive but are physically well should also be allowed to work from home if they are able to do so, said the advisory by MOM, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).

They added that employers should also recognise a negative self-administered antigen rapid test (ART) result as proof of recovery instead of requesting for a recovery memo.

Ng had asked if there will be any penalties imposed on employers who fail to comply with the advisory.

So far, MOM has not encountered any employer who wilfully refuses to conform after being told of the advisory, said Dr Tan.

"Should this happen, MOM will suspend the work pass privileges of the employer," he said.