Manpower Minister Urges Employers & HR Not to Insist on MCs for COVID-19 Infections

2022-02-23 , 9:42 am

All employers and HRs, listen up: you should not be requesting medical certificates (MCs) from workers who tested positive for COVID-19.

Keep up with the times, everyone. And yes, you should totally send this article to your boss as a friendly public service announcement.

Excuse Employees Based On New Protocols

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said on 22 February that all employers should not request MCs from workers for COVID-19 infections. Instead, employers should familiarise themselves with the new protocols, and excuse employees from work for the periods required.

There should also not be any need for employees to produce recovery memos or medical assessments from a doctor before coming back to work. As long as they’ve completed the required isolation period, employers should let employees come back.

Understands Concern of Absenteeism, But Calls on Employers To Be More Understanding

Dr Tan said that he understands employers’ concerns of absenteeism, or employees taking advantage of these new rules to keng.

However, he said that this is “just a phase we are going through”, and seeks the understanding of bosses and HR departments. Asking for MCs or recovery memos is just adding an additional administrative burden for the healthcare system.

Have Not Come Across Disputes Stemming From Employers Not Adhering to Guidelines

In a written reply to a question by Jurong GRC MP Xie Yao Quan in Parliament last Friday (18 February), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Singapore National Employers Federation, and the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) have not received reports about employers not adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

These protocols include Protocol 2, which allows workers to self-isolate for the first 72 hours after testing positive without an MC. After 72 hours, they can end isolation if they have a negative result, and go back to work without a recovery memo.

If your employer insists on MCs, you can refer them to this website for the latest COVID-19 rules, or approach MOM for assistance.

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Can Do Supervised ART at Combined Test Centres for Official Records, Don’t Go to GPs or EDs

If you really want an official infection record, you can undergo a supervised antigen rapid test (ART) at combined test centres or quick test centres. The results will be shown on one’s HealthHub status within 30 minutes.

Additionally, you’ll get an SMS notification of your test results, which can be used as proof too.

If you have mild or no symptoms, you should not be going to general practitioner clinics, polyclinics or hospital emergency departments. These visits should not be necessary now that we do not need MCs, and it will merely place even more pressure on the healthcare system.