Photo: yanalya
In this pressing time, it’s important to prioritise your health above anything else.
According to the Human Resources Ministry, any worker who is ordered to be quarantined for Covid-19 is entitled to sick leave.
“Workers on quarantine, under observation or home surveillance order cannot be forced to use their annual leave for the quarantine period. This is because annual leave is part of the worker’s rights.”
“Employers can order their workers, who are unwell, not to attend work and grant them paid leave.
“They also cannot forbid their workers from coming to work without a quarantine order, issued by a registered medical practitioner,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that any employer who does not provide paid sick leave for their workers during the quarantine period would be committing an offence under Section 60F of the Employment Act.
Workers were entitled to between 14 and 22 sick leave days (excluding hospitalisation), depending on their years of service.
“For workers, who are given a quarantine period that exceeds their eligible sick leave, employers are encouraged to offer an additional allowance to them.”
“Employers have to provide paid sick leave or hospitalisation leave during the entire treatment period for patients with Covid-19 symptoms,” it said.
According to The Star, the ministry also advised the public on certain measures to reduce cost and avoid possible retrenchment such as limiting overtime, reducing numbers of working days or reducing working hours. Companies could also explore temporary lay-offs in the form of a temporary shutdown by offering a reasonable salary and allowing employees to work elsewhere until their operations resume. A fair pay cut across the board could be considered as a final resort if all other cost-saving measures have been implemented as a final resort
Those who fail to adhere can be fined up to RM10,000 for each offence and for further guidelines, companies can refer to http://jtksm.mohr.gov.my
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
