Question

Hi HR Professionals,

Just want to check if a company could request a copy of employee's health screening report. Will we breach any legislation? Because there's specific legislation stating employer has no right to demand a copy of such report in Europe and US.

Thank you.

Milly

Reply 1

If it is paid by company, you may request staff to fill up a indemnity form to allow the Clinic to send a copy to the company or you may request just the copy of summary page from the staff.

IC

Reply 2

The employer cannot request for the health screening reports of their employees without their written consent, as such reports are private and confidential. Even company appointed clinics are unable to release any health information without consent of the employee concerned.

Kathleen

Reply 3

If you are hiring an Expatriate or Foreign worker externally, the employer have the right to request the candidate to perform the pre-employment medical check-up. I believe this also a part of MOM requirement if any working visa need to be done.

However, if this case was your existing employee, the employer have the right to demand on Health Screening Report if the employee have been continuously taken numerous medical or long term leaves. If your employee did not take any medical or long term leave, I don’t see why your company required the employee to furnish his or her Health Screening Report.

Please note that any expatriate or foreign employee shall bind with local legislation not his or her country legislation upon the employment.

Shirley

Reply 4

What is the need for? Normally employer would not kept it and the doctor did not issue unfit to work.

Pearl

Reply 5

In our company, we do provide health screening for some group of our employees. After they get the result of the health screening, the employees will provide HR with a copy of the summary report from the doctor. Company need to know the general health of these employees.

In fact, our employees will share with HR their overall health and comments by the doctor and also company need to know if eg staff has been informed by doctor they have high cholesterol after the health screening, so staff will be on medication now and hence increase in medical cost for this employee.

I do not think it is wrong for company to know the results and have a copy of the report as this of course will be strictly kept confidential within HR dept.

Munjit