Look, dear reader, I know you’ve been planning your Bangkok trip for the last four months and you were looking forward to stuffing your face with mango sticky rice, green curry, and maybe even a few crickets.
But with the number of coronavirus cases rapidly increasing in many countries, it’s safer not to travel right now, which is why the government has advised all Singaporeans to defer all non-essential travel.
Plus, what’s really more important to you? Authentic mango sticky rice, or the health of you and your loved ones?
Reader: Mango sticky rice
Right, I forgot who I was talking to. Well, if you choose to go ahead with your trip despite the travel advisory, be prepared to suffer some consequences.
Employees Who Travel Overseas For Holiday May Have To Use Annual Leave For SHN Or LOA
Employees who proceed with non-essential, non-work-related travel outside Singapore may have to use their annual leave to serve out their quarantine, stay-home notice or company-imposed leave of absence periods (LOA).
And if you do not have enough annual leave, your employer may require you to use advance leave or worse… take no-pay leave.
That’s right. Do you still want that mango sticky rice?
Reader: Oh hell yes
Why am I not surprised?
Latest travel advisory
This announcement comes just days after the latest Health Ministry’s travel advisory to defer all non-essential travel plans to all countries.
In addition, from 16 March, 11.59pm, all travellers – including Singapore citizens, permanent residents, long-term pass holders, and short-term visitors – entering Singapore with recent travel history to Asean countries, Japan, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom within the last 14 days will be issued a 14-day stay-home notice.
This will exclude Singaporeans and Malaysians using sea and land crossings with Malaysia, however.
Also, employees who choose to travel after Sunday (15 March) will not be eligible for the $100 daily support when affected workers serve out their mandatory stay-home requirements.
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Work-related travel
Reader: But what if I have to travel for work? Will I still have to use my annual leave?
Well, fortunately for you, the world isn’t that cruel.
Those who are travelling for wor- wait… you know that eating mango sticky rice doesn’t count as work, right?
Reader: Well, the rice can be really chewy sometimes
As I was saying, if you have work-related travel plans, your employers will be expected to provide additional paid leave.
This paid leave is to cover quarantine or self-isolation periods, any delay in return to Singapore due to flight unavailability or the need for pre-entry approval, as well as stay-home notices or leave of absence that might be required.
But if you don’t want to go ahead with your work-related travels, your employer should accept your request and not penalise you for it, said the authorities.
Global infections rapidly rising
All these measures were introduced to reduce the growing risk of Covid-19 importation.
The number of coronavirus cases around the world has been growing at an alarming rate; the number of global infections has now surpassed that in China.
Deaths outside China have risen to more than 3,241, according to Johns Hopkins, while deaths inside China stand at 3,208 as of Monday.
Yes, it sucks that you can’t go abroad for that vacation you’ve been planning for months, but we’re facing a legitimate crisis here, and we need to do everything possible to prevent it from getting worse.
Reader: Alright alright I get it, I’ll postpone my trip to Bangkok. Thai Express will have to do for now.
By the way, don’t think that travelling overseas for holiday and getting infected will get you sympathy. A man in Taiwan tried that and he’s like Patient 31 of South Korea right now.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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