Are you planning to get sick?
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
Singapore
June 10, 2016 9:34am CST
The title of this post: [Are you planning to get sick?] comes from a novel that I read.
It is a novel written by Swedish writers, Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, about half a century ago. The original novel was written in their native language, but the English translation was available in the library near my house.
This particular question strikes a chord with me because many employees are planning to get sick.
Some of them systemically clear off their sick leave entitlement.
In Singapore, 14 days sick leave is an entitlement protected by the labor law.
Some employees literally plan to take all the 14 days sick leave. They think that they are entitled to it, and they plan to get medical certificate even if they are not sick.
In a sense, they are not planning to get sick. They are just planning to get medical certificate in order to avoid work for 14 days a year.
They are expert in faking sick and they know which doctor near their house will give them the medical certificate.
8 people like this
8 responses
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
11 Jun 16
When I had the interview, I remember my boss told me that we had half day off from work if you are sick. But actually I seldom take a day off because of it. If we go to see a doctor, we are supposed to pay a part of the charges and the rest will be paid by the government. However, I even don't go to see a doctor unless I really feel sick and can't get well after taking some medicine by myself.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
For us here, the medical cost is not paid by the government.
The company will pay all or part of it, and we have to pay the rest.
Singapore weather is very different from China.
The hot and humid weather promotes bacteria growth so when one person gets sick, it will spread round very fast.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
Here the work culture is not good.
Many of us work 12 hours a day, and the overtime is not paid.
The doctors are not giving enough days to let us recover too.
When they give medication for 5 days, they may just give a day of medical certificate, and they expect you to work while you are taking the medicine that will make you drowsy.
1 person likes this
@Chungshop (2355)
•
10 Jun 16
When I was in the arm force, some hurt the toe and could not wear boot, so do light work in the office.
Some drink hot water and toothpaste make the temperature high, some circumcise and got sick leaves lo
Lucky only some lo, so give special bonus to those have not taken sick leaves. Get your recommend doctor lo.
We need to go to the office to get the medical form first then we were allow to see doctor, unless you can't walk.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
haha, I think those who know how to fake sick have served army too.
The army boys really know more bad things than good things.
I know some of them manage to get their temperature up and they literally have a fever when they see the doctor.
After they get the medical certificate, they are well already.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
@Chungshop it is a two way traffic.
Employers have no loyalty to their employees too. When they want to cut cost, they will just retrench the workers.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
No, it is real medical certificate.
The lazy workers are the ones who fake sick, but they are very talented.
They manage to make their temperature go way higher than normal, and the doctor believes them when they say that they are sick.
I do not know how they manage to do that!
I have not learnt this trick.
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
11 Jun 16
Effectively what they are doing is stealing from their employer. Just because they are allowing you up to 14 days sick leave it does not mean that you should take it as an entitlement. If they did not get paid for these days then they would not go sick!
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Jun 16
The problem is partly the work culture here.
We have one of the longest work week in the whole world.
Even if the normal working hour is from 8 am to 6 pm, the "unspoken" expectation is that you stay till 7 pm or later.
Some lower paid workers get just 7 days vacation leave a year.
That is not enough for anything.
We do not have such thing as whole week off for New Year or Christmas or Chinese New Year.
When the workers are tired, they tend to fake sick so that they can use medical leave instead of vacation leave.
