Certis sick leave policy to address abuse may erode employer-employee trust: Experts

SINGAPORE: Certis’ medical leave policy requiring officers on sick leave to remain at home or to share their "live" location via digital devices if they are not home could reduce trust and affect employee well-being, experts said.

They were commenting on security company Certis' statement issued on Saturday (Jun 28) on the matter.

The company said it does not terminate employees' work contracts solely because they are not at home when on medical leave. This was after WhatsApp messages about a change in its sick leave policy were published online.

It is not known when the change was made.

In its WhatsApp messages, Certis said that if employees are not home, they should share their live location or conduct a video call with their manager. It also said that a warning letter would be issued if employees are not home without a valid reason.

"Please be aware that any non-compliance identified may result in disciplinary action, which could include termination," one of the messages stated.

In response to CNA's queries on Saturday, Certis said that most of its employees use medical leave responsibly, but it has safeguards in place to ensure this system is used "appropriately and fairly".

On Monday, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that sick leave is a statutory entitlement and employees should be able to take it to address their health needs while using it responsibly.

“Employers must not discourage employees from taking sick leave when ill, for the well-being of the latter and their co-workers.”

The ministry encourages employers to regularly engage with workers to address concerns and ensure company employment policies are well-communicated.

“This will help to build trust between employers and employees, and create a positive workplace culture,” it added.

If there is a suspected case of misconduct, employers should engage employees to understand the situation and conduct thorough investigations before deciding on disciplinary action, MOM stated.

“For example, there could be legitimate reasons as to why an employee might not be at home when ill,” the ministry said. “This should not be taken as conclusive evidence of misconduct.”

CNA has reached out to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for comment.

MORE STRESS, LESS TRUST

Human resource consultant Christine Chan said that Certis’ policy raises serious concerns regarding employee privacy and implies a lack of trust in workers' honesty and responsibility regarding their medical leave.

“Requiring employees to share their live location is a substantial intrusion, particularly when they are already vulnerable due to illness.”

This can damage the employee-employer relationship and significantly affect workers' morale and productivity, she added.

Mr Lee Boon Huat, Asia-Pacific chief growth officer at workforce solutions provider Visier, said that such a policy might foster or reinforce a culture of "presenteeism", where employees go to work even when they are sick so as to avoid scrutiny, potentially spreading illness and decreasing overall workplace efficiency.

“A low-trust environment can lead to disengagement, increased attrition and difficulty in attracting talent,” he added.

Singapore Human Resources Institute’s chief executive officer Alvin Goh said that even if Certis’ policy is aimed at deterring habitual absenteeism, such measures may have unintended consequences.

When high-performing, responsible officers are subject to these rules, it can erode morale, reduce trust and damage the employer’s reputation over time, Mr Goh added.

WHY IMPLEMENT IT AT ALL?

In the case of the security industry, some operational concerns are understandable because of its intensive nature, Mr Goh said.

Since security roles are manpower-intensive and officers are expected to remain alert and vigilant, frequent absences could lead to contract breaches and strain on remaining staff members.

The change in Certis’ policy may have come about due to organisational challenges and could be a response to persistent no-shows, he added.

“When organisations turn to strict monitoring or surveillance-like tactics, it often reflects deeper cultural challenges that remain unresolved.” 

IS IT LEGAL?

Mr Mark Yeo, director of law firm Fortress Law, said that companies are allowed to create their own policies for sick leave and enforce them through disciplinary measures, including termination, if workers are found to have breached medical leave guidelines.

Regarding Certis’ location-tracking policy, Ms Chan the human resource consultant said that its legality hinges on the Personal Data Protection Act and employment law.

“The key question is whether tracking an employee's location while on sick leave is a ‘reasonable’ measure for managing the employment relationship.” 

The policy can be challenged if workers feel that their privacy is unduly justified or if it is used to unfairly target or discipline employees, Ms Chan added.

HOW COMMON IS IT TO REQUIRE SICK WORKERS TO REPORT LOCATION?

The practice of requiring employees to stay home or share their live location while on medical leave is generally uncommon in Singapore, the experts said.

Ms Jaya Dass, Asia-Pacific managing director at human resources solutions agency Randstad Enterprise, said that in contrast, many companies are increasingly offering greater flexibility around paid medical leave, such as not requiring a medical certificate for one-day paid medical leave.

Mr Lee from Visier noted that some industries with critical operational requirements might have stricter attendance monitoring, but Certis' policy appears to be an outlier.

“Generally, human resource best practices in Singapore lean towards fostering a culture of trust and accountability, rather than employing intrusive monitoring measures,” he said.

“The emphasis is typically on clear communication of leave policies and performance management.”

WHAT OTHER MEASURES CAN EMPLOYERS CONSIDER?

Rather than moving towards a “check and catch” culture, companies that are concerned about medical leave abuse should adopt more constructive alternatives, Mr Goh from the Singapore Human Resources Institute proposed.

This includes clearly communicated absenteeism guidelines and better supervisor training to identify patterns of concern without compromising dignity or privacy.

Similarly, Mr Lee said that employers should focus on strategies that promote a “high-trust, high-performance” culture.

If managers are concerned about productivity, they can focus more on monitoring performance trends and reviewing overall workload and well-being initiatives, he suggested.  

“High absenteeism can sometimes be a symptom of broader issues like burnout, excessive workload or a toxic work environment,” Mr Lee added. “Addressing these root causes can be far more impactful.”

Ultimately, surveillance may drive short-term compliance, but long-term engagement comes from treating people as trusted contributors, not suspected rule-breakers, Mr Goh advised.

“At the end of the day, responsible people practice hinges on trust, accountability and empathy,” he added.

“When organisations invest in these foundations, most staff members repay that confidence many times over.”