HRSINGAPORE Community Discussions
Foreign worker home leave
QUESTION
Dear HR Community,
We have an employee who went back home to India on 15 March 2020.
And due to COVID-19, he is unable to return to work with us.
So we gave him permission to work from home. But he claimed that he was unable to do so due to issues with the internet.
He then informed us that he wished to be on annual leave from 26 May until he is able to return to Singapore and continue his employment.
Since he had only four days of annual leave left, do we consider him to be on unpaid leave now?
Has anyone faced such issues with foreign workers?
Thank you for your replies
Kim
REPLIES & COMMENTS
Dear Kim
This is what I suggest.
1. Deduct the annual leave that still exists or entitled to.
2. After the annual leave, the employee will be no pay leave.
3. Pay the levy if applicable until his return.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Racheal
Hi Kim
We have the same issue as you.
One of our colleagues on a work permit went for a holiday and was unable to return to Singapore due to the new MOM and immigration policies implemented in March.
We put her on unpaid leave as she has also used up her annual leave.
In addition, this is what we did:
1. Calculated her annual leave entitlement up to February, since March was considered an incomplete month already and used it to offset her absence for that period.
2. Considered her to be on unpaid leave from March.
3. If and when she returns, we will recalculate leave entitlement for the year minus the unpaid leave and prorate her annual wage supplement (AWS) for 2020.
Some other considerations are:
1. The risk that she does not return to work and we are unable to contact her. If this is the case we are liable for her tax and after discussion with the management, we are prepared for it.
2. The foreign worker levy (FWL) payments are continuing. For this, there are waivers and rebates provided recently and more by application up to 60 days until her return.
We are not sure if our arrangement is good, but that’s the best we can do for our colleague to help her keep her job in Singapore.
In the meantime, she has permission to find part-time work back home.
Best Regards
Claire
Recent HR Community Posts
Company Liable for Copyright Infringement Due to Unlicensed Software Installation by Employee
Discover how the HR department can prevent copyright infringement and minimize legal liability. Learn about policies, training, software management, and compliance audits. Continue reading→
How HR Executives can Advance Workplace Equity
Discover how HR executives can advance equity in the workplace with practical strategies for workplace audits, diversity training, inclusive hiring, accommodations, and more. Continue reading→
Leave Entitlements for Part-time Interns
Learn how to calculate leave entitlements for part-time interns in Singapore including annual, sick, and hospitalization leave based on the Employment Act. Continue reading→
Japanese Corporations Agree to Biggest Pay Raises in Decades
Major Japanese corporations, including Nissan and Toyota, agree to biggest pay raises in decades after labor unions requested wage hikes. Continue reading→
The importance of staying up-to-date with labor market trends for HR professionals in Singapore
Get valuable insights from the Labor Market Report for Q4 2022 as an HR professional in Singapore. Stay competitive in a growing and evolving job market. Continue reading→