SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee took to social media to share her frustrating experience with her boss after extending her medical leave from two to four days due to worsening health conditions.

Her post on Reddit's 'Ask Singapore' forum has sparked a heated debate about workplace attitudes towards sick leave.

The Employee's Situation

The employee, who had been battling debilitating migraines, initially received a two-day medical leave. However, when her condition deteriorated and she developed a high fever, she felt compelled to extend her leave. In an effort to substantiate her claims, she sent her manager a photo of her thermometer reading, hoping it would quell any doubts about her situation.

The Boss's Reaction

Despite her attempts at transparency, the director of the family-run business remained unsympathetic. According to the distressed employee, the director scolded her, claiming that in her three decades of business experience, she had never witnessed employees extending medical leaves to such an extent. The director's incredulity was punctuated by a sarcastic comment about the employee's articulate explanation of her situation.

Concerns About Operations

On the fourth day of her leave, the director reached out again, raising concerns about the impact of her absence on operations. She highlighted the added burden on her coworkers, especially following the recent transfer of two engineers overseas, implying that the employee’s extended absence was exacerbating staff shortages.

Employee's Defense

Defending herself, the employee clarified that she hadn’t exceeded her medical leave entitlement and found the entire experience disheartening, especially with her personal milestones on the horizon – collecting keys to her Build-To-Order (BTO) flat and preparing for her wedding.

Community Response

She expressed her dilemma to the online community: was she being mistreated, or was her boss justified in her concerns? In the comment section, many users sympathized with the employee, urging her to consider finding a different workplace. Comments ranged from advice on prioritizing health over a job to reflections on similar experiences with toxic work environments. One user remarked, “Your life and health should be prioritized more than your job,” echoing a growing sentiment on the importance of mental and physical well-being in the face of demanding work cultures.

Diverse Opinions

Interestingly, some commenters sided with the director, suggesting that employee misuse of medical leave can breed skepticism. “It’s frustrating when coworkers frequently take leave. It creates an unfair burden on those left behind,” one user noted, bringing attention to the complexities surrounding sick leave.

Legislative Context

In Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) outlines that employees covered under the Employment Act are entitled to paid outpatient sick leave and paid hospitalization leave after three months of continuous service. Employees can avail themselves of up to 14 days of outpatient sick leave and 60 days for hospitalization, highlighting the importance of such entitlements for maintaining workforce health.

Conclusion

As the debate continues, this incident underscores the ongoing discourse around sick leave, employee rights, and workplace culture in Singapore, prompting many to question: how much leniency should be afforded when it comes to employee health?